Listen to your Heart
by squishlette
Summary: Magnus and Alec must save the Clave from themselves and the Warlocks, who are bent on making a new world order where the Clave finally answer for their crimes. Can their love and trust in each other save the day?
1. Chapter 1

~Chapter One~

Alec pushed his way into Pandemonium, a crumpled note held tight in his hand. He'd run out of the Institute in such a hurry, he didn't even have time to tell anyone where he was going. Not that anyone was at the Institute to tell. Jace took off earlier in the day with Clary by his side; they'd been inseparable lately. Izzy... Izzy was sympathetic to Alec's loneliness but he'd urged her to spend some time out with Simon, insisting that he would be just fine on his own. That was not a complete lie. He was. For the most part. When he wasn't thinking, or breathing, or existing.

It felt like an eternity to get to Pandemonium. The object of his heart wanted to see him, to speak to him. He could hope. The note sliced through the his heart, the sensation of the loss bleeding his soul all over the floor. Again. By the Angel, Alec thought he had screwed that up beyond repair. He scanned all the dancing, writhing bodies clad in stretchy, shimmering materials and colors that made his eyes hurt. Except for when Magnus wore them. His heart hammered in his chest. How was he going to find him?

_Speak of the devil and he appears. Or, in this case, think of the devil's son.._. Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn clad in skin tight leather pants that sparkled purple in the strobe lights. His shirt shimmered yellow and gold as he moved to the music, silky, sexy and mesmerizing Magnus Bane. His dark hair was spiked and glistened, like he'd coated it with glitter, and he probably had. Even his lips sparkled. Those gorgeous green and gold cat eyes summoned him from across the club. The warlock gave him a little finger wave before disappearing out a side door.

Alec deftly wove his way through the throng of dancers. He had one focus and that focus left a trail of glitter and sandalwood. The evening air hit Alec in a cool rush.

The slight glow from a street light left the alley a tunnel of darkness. He lost where Magnus had gone. Music thumped through the closed door. Where was he? Taking another step further into the dark, Alec felt familiar flutter of apprehension in his stomach. He'd had dreams like this, where he came so close to seeing Magnus...

"You're looking ravishing tonight, darling…" an amused voice seemed to float on the air.

In his black hunting leathers and blue scarf, ravishing was not what Alec would ever think of himself as. The world slowed as Alec turned towards the voice and Magnus. Leaning languidly against a graffiti littered wall, he looked like a centerfold in a porn magazine. Not that Alec knew what those looked like. He blushed. Not at all."Wh-what?"

"The scarf…brings out the color of your eyes." The warlock purred.

Alec touched the garment currently wrapped around his neck. "Oh." Heat rose to his cheeks. The scarf. From Magnus. He wore it everyday. Even if it wasn't necessary. He couldn't part with it. Alec curled his fingers around the fabric defensively, hoping the man would not ask for it back. He straightened his posture self-consciously. He'd gone over this moment so many times in his head, but now that it was here, he had no clue what to say. All the practiced speeches seemed... inadequate.

Magnus pushed off the wall and slinked towards him. Alec took an instinctive step back. The warlock followed him. He took another step back and hit the brick wall. "Ow." Letting out a breath, Alec shook his head. This was silly. He spent all this time wanting to be near Magnus, he would not run away now.

Alec reached out, brushing his fingers over the man's silky shirt. It felt smooth and cool under his touch. Licking his lips he tried again. "Magnus." He gave a weak smile. "I didn't think you wanted to see me ever again."

"You made quite the persuasive argument…what with all the calling and then hanging up." The warlock murmured, humor dancing in his eyes. He loomed over the shadowhunter, and leaned down, one hand by Alec's head. "I have to admit…I found it rather charming." His warm breath tickled Alec's cheek.

Alec flushed darker. "I-I-I..." He had hoped Magnus wouldn't know the phone calls were him. He'd frozen every time he heard the man's voice over the speaker. Even after getting a new number when he'd gotten his new phone, he couldn't stop. Jace later destroyed it but that was a moot point. He needed something to connect to him with. He was still pissed at his parabatai for making him lose all the texts between them. Now he didn't have any of Magnus's ridiculously glittery text declarations of love. He didn't know how Magnus had made those glitter characters.

"Camille is dead, you know." Magnus drawled.

"I know." Alec shifted, muttering angrily. "I didn't get to kill her."

The warlock's glittery lips formed a line. "She was a conniving bitch… and played both of us." Magnus reached forward, running the tip of his fingers up Alec's arm. "I did warn you about that."

"I know." Alec whispered as he squeezed his eyes closed. Losing Magnus was his own damn fault. His own fault for being so gullible and unsure of the warlock's feelings. He'd had proof. In all it's glittery form. And pictures. Or, had. Damn Jace.

Magnus smoothed the front of the leather strap for his bow and stele. Flicking his fingers up, he tucked a piece of hair behind Alec's ear, cupping his cheek. "But I forgive you."

"Wh-what?"

Magnus brushed his lips across Alec's and smiled sadly. "I knew of your uncertainties… while I don't agree with your actions, I understand them. Perhaps if I'd been more attentive, you wouldn't have felt the need to do something so ...drastic." He laid another kiss on Alec's forehead.

"No." Alec breathed. He stopped fingering the shirt and grabbed the material. "No, Magnus. I should've just told you. It's stupid to be jealous or angry over it. I am a Shadowhunter. We don't get to grow old. We die in the line of duty." He licked his lips, shutting his eyes. Angel, he didn't want to see the truth. "We don't get to have forever."

Magnus gently titled the boy's head up. "Alexander-" He sounded distraught.

"I just want to have as-as much of a life as I can. With you. And hope that-" Alec paused, emotion rising in his throat. It took him a moment to continue. The fear sliced through him again, cold, daunting, and helpless. "That... it will be enough. To have a place. In your heart, and... and memories once I'm gone." He swallowed thickly. "That's it. That's all." He whispered. His eyes welled with unshed tears, he refused to let fall.

"Sweet-little-Nephilim," The words came out strangled and exasperated. "You're beautiful even when you cry." He kissed him, long, slow, savoring.

Alec hiccupped, breath catching. "I'm not crying," he lied.

Magnus smiling to himself, wiping away the tears, not arguing. "Of course not, dear." He murmured, pulling Alec against him. He tucked the Nephilim's head under his chin. Staying in the quiet cocoon of those long arms, that slow, steady heartbeat calmed the tears. After a few moments Alec's breathing matched that beat.

"…I was being serious." Alec cleared his throat.

"So was I. I can't stay angry with you," he chuckled. "And I don't want to."

Alec willed himself to relax. Closing his eyes he wrapped his arms loosely around the warlock's slim waist and pressed his cheek against his shoulder. He allowed himself to be as affectionate with Magnus as he wanted to be. He missed freedom. He could stay just like this forever.

Alec's heart clenched and he forced himself back to look up at those cat eyes. "I, uh..." He ran trembling fingers over Magnus's shoulder. "Does this mean you are taking me back?"

The warlock cradled Alec's face in his warm hands. He brushed a soft kiss over his lips and paused. "I certainly hope so." Magnus said in that low, pleased purr.

_That voice._ The one that lit him on fire. Alec grabbed the back of Magnus' neck and crashed their lips together. _Mine._ He demanded access, opening his mouth and sucking harshly on those sticky, bubble-gum flavored lips.

Magnus laughed against him. "A little eager, are we?" He asked between kisses.

"Shut up." Alec growled, fingers still tangled in Magnus's hair. He knew it was dangerous to be out in the open like this. Anyone could come by. Right now it didn't matter. "And kiss me."

"Let's take this somewhere… a bit more private." Magnus' voice was rough and enticing. Keeping his body pressed against Alec, he murmured a spell and a blue light pulsed behind him. When the flickers became a steady glow, Magnus wrapped his arms under Alec, picking him up. The shadowhunter got the message, taking a stronger hold, wrapping his legs around his waist. He nipped at the glittery skin before him. He let out a little moan when Magnus' teeth grazed the sensitive skin of his throat.

The portal spat them out on the floor. The pair rolled with the force of it and stopped on the plush, red carpeting. Alec ended up on top. He feared vaguely for his weapons, but that is what sheaths were for. Pushing himself up Alec blinked, looking around the room. It was a hotel room, dimly lit. A large, four poster bed sat in the center. Red rose petals scattered in the shape of a heart on the white comforter. A chilling bottle of something sat on a nightstand with two champagne glasses. A cart sat near the bed, a silver tray of chocolate covered strawberries on it. A bubbling sound came from the corner behind him, where a huge Jacuzzi sat, an assortment of oils on the edge. Alec flushed.

"Darling?" Magnus sat up, taking Alec's face in one hand. "Are you alright?"

"What-? Where-?" He stuttered wide eyed.

"I was going for the lover's suite in Venice." Hands on his waist, Magnus gently moved him over so he could get to his feet, then pull Alec up as well.

"Jacuzzi?" Alec squeaked. "I don't remember there being one of those."

"There should have been." Magnus murmured tersely, tugging Alec to him by the belt of his weapon's harness. He led Alec toward the bed backwards. "We are missing something though..." He snapped his fingers and a fireplace appeared with a roaring fire and a bear rug in front of it. "There. Also?" He snapped once more and soft violin music began to play.

Alec wrapped his arms around Magnus' neck, fingers combing with the strands at the nape of his neck. He tucked his head against Magnus's body so he couldn't see him laughing. It was terribly romantic, but also so over the top it made him blush. Magnus always... layered everything on so thick. Make-up and all. Endearing. Sappily endearing. He loved it.

Magnus kissed his cheek, nuzzling it. "Do you like it?" He asked plopping down onto the bed, pulling Alec onto his lap. "What? What's so funny?" A smile twitched at the edge of his lips.

Alec couldn't stop laughing. He was pretty sure his dimples were wholly evident. "It's a bit more than... nevermind. Just kiss me." Alec leaned in to reclaim his boyfriend's mouth. "And take off my clothes." He commanded, shoving Magnus against the mattress. He shifted to straddle him completely eliciting a groan from him. Alec unbuckled his weapons harness and it clattered to the floor behind him.

Taking his face and turning it towards him, Magnus smiled. "Now…" he purred. "Where were we?" He ran his fingers up Alec's chest. He unzipped the vest to marvel at him. "You, sweetness," he leaned up to pepper the marked chest with kisses, "are beautiful."

Alec looked down, unbelieving and slightly embarrassed. He did not shrug the vest to the floor. He leaned down to kiss the warlock, relishing the slight burn from the coarse hair of his goatee. Magus cupped the back of Alec's head, their kisses were hard, needy, and searing. Magnus rolled them over pinning Alec under him. He pulled back and let out a throaty laugh.

Alec's eyes fluttered and his chest moved out with his breath. "What?"

"You have.." Magnus reached down and plucked a rose petal up. "Flowers in your hair."

Snorting, Alec yanked him back down by the shirt to kiss him. Then, deciding better of it, he wanted the clothing off and tore the shirt apart.

Magnus laughed into his mouth, fingers tangling with Alec's as he helped rid himself of the offending, ruined garment.

Satisfied now, Alec ran his hands over the expanse of smooth, dark skin available now. Tilting his head up, Alec licked a line from the edge of the warlock's pants up to his sternum. He took a moment to tease one nipple with a swirl of his tongue then the other. Magnus's skin tasted sickly sweet, like all the sugar he ate oozed from his pores. It was by far Alec's favorite indulgence. Magnus wanted his mouth for another purpose and guided him back up for a kiss.

Pulling the scarf loose, Magnus letting it slide through his fingers hooking on the headboard. Then his nimble fingers found the buttons of Alec's pants. They slid underneath Alec's backside, digging into his skin and he gasped.

"Sorry to break up the filming of Magnus the Magnificent Bangs Helpless Shawdowhunter, but —oh, god you're still not doing snuff films are you?" An amused voice asked, and then added. "He's too cute for that."

Alec jerked. Magnus went rigid. The warlock pulled back abruptly, but keeping Alec half-hidden underneath him. Over the warlock's shoulder Alec saw a tall man. He had short, cropped brown hair, a strong jaw line, green eyes that glittered in the dim light and a smirk to match. He wore simple clothing, blue jeans, a faded, dark t-shirt and a trashed leather jacket. Even Alec had more fashion sense.

Magnus fluidly rolled off Alec, the shreds of his silk shirt pooled by Alec's sides. He ran a hand through his hair, fixing it. "Wasn't there a Do Not Disturb sign?" His voice sounded steady, but Alec noticed the tightness in his jaw.

Alec hastily redressed himself and zipped up his vest. His hands scrubbed over his face and through his hair, sitting up. His face was burning and he certainly didn't like the way the intruder was gazing at him. Snakes looked at canaries like that.

"Wouldn't have mattered anyway." He said, sauntering to kneel on the foot of the bed, between Alec and his weapons. "But don't stop on my account. Should I get the camera?"

Tomatoes were jealous of the red Alec's face turned. Sputtering, he scrambled backward and fell off the bed with an ungraceful thump and a shower of petals. Trapped between the bed, the wall, and a nightstand, he did not like his current tactical position.

"Alec!" Magnus exclaimed, his face appearing over the edge, concerned. "Are you alright, darling?" He shuffled forward, raining more petals down. A small smile appeared on his face at the image. Alec was pretty sure he was being laughed at.

He glowered at him. "Friend of yours?" He huffed, gaining his feet.

Grinning, the other man grabbed a strawberry off the cart and bit into it. Savoring the taste, he commented idly, "It is curious though." The man lazily ran his eyes up and down Alec with a crooked smirk. "You bear a striking resemblance to someone." He murmured, shot a glance at Magnus.

Stiffening, Alec unleashed his most accusatory glare and discretely reached for the bottle behind him. "Who the hell are you?" He demanded, not appreciating being the object of jokes, finding himself more irritated than embarrassed at the interruption.

"He's feisty." The man wagged his eyebrows at Magnus, laughing.

Magnus groaned and put himself between the two. "Alexander, this is Kale." He rolled his eyes as he twirled a hand to the kneeling man, in an exasperated introduction. "The High Warlock of Canada. Which doesn't sound as terrifying as he really is. He needs the extra wilderness for protection." He rose, turned and pressed his lips to Alec's temple. He tried to warn the boy with a look as he spoke, "Things tend to burn more easily when he's around. Electricity has more charge... gravity is denser? That kind of thing?" He shot a glare at his fellow warlock. "I thought we agreed to meet tomorrow?"

"So sorry the war is interrupting your sex life." Kale deadpanned. He cast a side glance at Alec. "Though I can appreciate your new digs. Here I thought you still lived in that POS loft in Brooklyn. This isn't the type of bed that needs quarters, is it? You always liked those."

Magnus turned and gave Alec a meaningful look. He tugged at the bottle in the hunter's hand. After a brief tug of war, Alec reluctantly relinquished his weapon. The warlock gave him a brilliant smile as he popped the top. The cork flew at Kale, alas, the man caught it. Magnus calmly poured two flutes and gave one to Alec. Sipping his own glass, Magnus set the bottle back in the wine cooler.

Who in the angel's name was this downworlder? An ex-lover of Magnus? He wondered bitterly. Alec stared at the man as he made himself comfortable on their bed, he swallowed the entire flute of sugary bubbles with a grimace.

"Alexander, was it? Another Herondale?" His voice was less curious and more condescending.

"Lightwood." Alec growled, disliking the warlock more and more as time went on.

Kale's green eyes widened at that. "A Lightwood?" he scoffed, eyeing Magnus with disbelief and then smirked. "You're banging a Lightwood? Nicely done." He seemed to mean it.

Anger boiled inside Alec, as it always did when anyone insulted his family. He reached for the bottle again, but Magnus gripped his waist and pulled him in a dance move he'd seen at one of the warlock's parties. He was suddenly out of the corner and away from the nightstand.

"Ignore him, darling," Magnus started humming along with the violin music, with the flutes in hand it should have been romantic. Deftly maneuvering him out of the narrow space, cheek to cheek, the warlock twirled the fuming hunter to a stop at his weapons. Magnus still kept himself between the two, with clear intent.

Appreciative of the weaponry, he left a kiss on Magnus's cheek before stooping to retrieve his harness.

"Oh, sonuva bitch. Now you've armed him." Kale muttered sourly.

"As if my weapons are what you need to worry about." Alec snorted. No one ever seemed to take Alec seriously.

Kale paused for a moment and gave Alec an unimpressed once-over. "Clearly." He picked another strawberry and licked the chocolate clean off, eyes watching the young hunter with a self-satisfied shine.

"Stop baiting him." Magnus snapped in a flash of glitter and fury. Finally sounding angry, he took Alec's empty glass and shoved both of them into Kale's hands. Putting his face in Kale's, he spat, "I hate you."

Unfazed, Kale took them, leaned over just enough to see Alec and said, "No, he doesn't." His green eyes went back to Magnus. "You love me. You know you have more fun when I'm around." He waved the glasses as he spoke, looking slightly cross. "Although if you keep handing me glasses without booze, I might re-evaluate our relationship."

The fireplace flared for a second, singeing the bear rug. Alec ducked and rolled away from the burst, ending in a crouch on the other side of the room, stele drawn. The stench of burnt hair filled the room.

"You are a _menace_, Kale." Magnus shot the warlock a glare. "I'll never get my deposit back if you keep doing that." He snapped his fingers and in a blue flash the fireplace and rug were gone. With another snap he silenced the violin music.

Holding up his hands apologetically, Kale waved the glasses and shrugged. "That... one... wasn't intentional." He even sounded sincere. "Alright, alright." He sighed, rose and put the flutes back by the bottle, which he took a long pull of and nearly spat it back out. "I forgot you love that sweet shit." Grimacing he shoved the strawberry champagne bottle back in the chiller.

Alec studied the intruder. Shadowhunters could see through glamor, the permanent True Sight rune on his hand should take care of that. Yet he could not see the Devil's Mark on Kale. The short brown hair was real. His skin was a human caucasian pink, maybe a little pale. His eyes were a steady, human green. There were no bumps, ridges, or swells to indicate horns, wings, or any other additional limbs on him. For all intense purposes, he looked like a mundane. Possibly a homeless mundane. Why hadn't Magnus just thrown him out? Why did he try to convince him Kale had so much power? He couldn't feel anything when he looked at the man, except annoyance. Magnus's power ran hot, like a small aura of sunlight. Kale felt... like nothing. Void. Nothing. It was weird.

"Alexander," Magnus offered a hand to pull him to his feet. Once standing he took the younger man's face in his hands.

Alec's anger dissipated when he saw the distressed look in Magnus' eyes. "Magnus?"

He pressed their lips together, gripping Alec's arms tightly enough to bruise. When he pulled back he whispered against Alec's still tingling lips. "Listen to me very carefully…I'm going to open a portal and you are going to go through it."

Alec tensed. "What? No." Leave him here with this menace?

"I am opening a portal and you are going to go." He growled. Blue light already started to shimmer around them. Alec could feel the warlock's heart beating much faster in his chest. Something spooked him.

"Not a friend?" He could not chance losing Magnus now. Not when he'd finally gotten him back. He couldn't shake the worry that this all was just a dream, and he'd wake in his bed like nothing changed.

"It's complicated. Don't make me force you, Alexander, please."

It was the please that did it. He stopped arguing and nodded. "I am not happy leaving you here with him. What is going on?"

"I will call you in the morning." He smiled. After a moment he added jokingly, "And not hang up on you." Magnus gave him a hard shove and he fell back into the portal that closed behind him with a pop.


	2. Chapter 2

~Chapter Two~

Magnus stared forlornly at the spot where Alec disappeared from. Everything had been so blissfully perfect... He turned back to Kale who still lounged on the bed like he belonged there. At one time he did, but not anymore. Magnus fought the urge to pitch a fit.

"Aw. Did he have to leave already?" Kale eyed the plate of strawberries with a frown. "Don't you have any real food in this joint?"

Snapping himself a lounge chair, Magnus lowered himself to a seat. "Conjure up your own refreshments." He answered bitterly, crossing one leather clad leg over the other. "Freeloader."

"Come on man. Let it go. There is plenty more where that came from I'm sure." Kale gestured towards the empty wall.

Examining his sparkly nails, Magnus sent his fellow warlock a look. "Get on with it will you?" He wanted to get back home, curl up with Chairman Meow and think about how he was going to possibly smooth this over with Alec. "And this better be good, you cock-blocking bastard."

"It's Catarina." Kale immediately sobered. "The Clave took her, they are holding her at the Institute in London."

All mirth left Magnus's face. Dread pooled in his stomach. "When did this happen?" He demanded.

"Last night." Kale answered, "Rhys just sent me the fire message, that's why it couldn't wait until tomorrow. Says they are torturing her."

Magnus saw red. "For what purpose?"

Kale rubbed the back of his neck. "That's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. The coven has been gathering members, the Clave got wind of it. They are trying to get information out of her. She doesn't know what's going on; she just had the bad luck of being in the middle of a job with the Inquisitor."

Magnus had to move. He stood, clenching his fists, pacing the room. Power answers his unconscious call, building in his veins. It burned a trail of fire along his skin. "Why is the Coven gathering?" he asked through clenched teeth. "I haven't received a summons."

"You wouldn't have." Kale answered calmly. "Not yet. Things are getting ready to change my glittery friend, and not in the way you might expect."

Magnus stared hard at the blue scarf still draped across the headboard of the bed, as if wishing Alec would materialize to claim it. Claim the Clave hadn't kidnapped his friend. Wasn't torturing a _healer_. But he knew better. He stalked past Kale and slid the garment into his fingers. He held it to his face, inhaling the scent of the blue eyed nephilim, his nerves beginning to cool.

The other warlock watched him with narrowed eyes. "Who owns your little piece of angel ass anyway?"

Draping the scarf over his neck, Magnus turned back to Kale, eyes flashing angrily. "His name is Alexander. And he lives at the New York Institute. He'd have nothing to do with this."

"Perfect." Kale got to his feet. He moved easily and almost lazily for the strength in his body and magic. "Then you won't have any issues coming with me to kick some sorry-ass Clave sons of bitches." He popped the air from his neck.

Magnus pressed the edge of the scarf to his lips. "I suppose it can't be helped, can it?"

Kale grinned. "I knew I could count on you."

Snapping his fingers, Magnus materialized himself a dashing suit of glittery red armor. Late Italian Renaissance, with beautiful filigree swirls in gold. He tied Alec's scarf around his waist as Kale created a portal. A slash of dark blue on red. Very artistic.

As they were spat out into the gloomy London night, Magnus noted they were not alone. Three warlocks stood just outside the Institute gate. Only one of them was familiar to Magnus, the black haired warlock named Rhys. Rhys was short for a man, but he made up for what he lacked in height with bulk. His scraggly long, dark hair was pulled back from his face with a tie. His dark blue eyes glinted. His demon mark was a bit of a mystery. Some swore he had tentacles that sprang from his belly or other regions. No one dared to actually look. Normally, black hair and blue eyes were Magnus's favorite combination, but he'd never been interested in Rhys. He was too foul tempered. That and he always smelt like blood and decay.

Next to Rhys stood a tall, slender blond man. His features were delicate, with high cheekbones and a pointed chin. His golden hair floated around his head, looking like a halo. Even Jace would be jealous, if he could feel such an emotion. The warlock had blood red eyes and black sclera, but had no other obvious demon markings on him. He was a beautiful creature-almost fey like, but nothing comparable to his Alec.

The third warlock was a short dark skinned woman. She had crazy brown hair that stuck out in all directions, weaved into braids. The fingers of her hands were elongated into talons. She was grinning and pointed fangs peeked out from her glossy lips. Her eyes were a hard, human looking brown.

Kale moved towards them; Magnus followed. Rhys turned to them, the long, claw like scar that took up half his face beaded with blood. It never seemed to heal. Magnus always assumed the warlock reopened the wound as some sort of penance.

The blond eyed the two of them lazily, a smirk appearing on his lips as he appraised Magnus.

Magnus winked at him. "Hello there, darling. I don't think we've met."

"This is Sage." Rhys growled, his welsh accent just as prominent as the last time Magnus saw him. Then he nodded to the woman, "And Bev."

Kale gave them both a nod. "How's it look?" He directed the question to Rhys.

Sage licked his lips and Magnus noticed his forked tongue. "The wards have holes in them that we can exploit." he purred, in a deliciously French dialect. "But there are two Nephilim guarding the main doors."

Bev snorted, using one pointed nail to scratch her head. "Mother fuckin' shadowhunters, think they so bad ass. I can take out those bitches with one hand tied behind my back."

Magnus wrinkled his nose with distaste. He never did like it when a woman cursed. It just never sounded right coming from such a delicate mouth. Of course, with the fangs and talons, there wasn't much delicate about Bev.

Kale scrubbed his hand down his face. "Do we have any idea how many shadowhunters live here now?"

There used to be five, the last time Magnus had visited. Back in the time of Will Herondale, he sighed with nostalgia. Those were troubled times as well. He shook his head of the memory of those haunted blue eyes.

"Thirteen." Rhys answered, a permanent scowl on his face. "Ten permanent and three that just came today, for the _interrogation_." He spat out the last word like it was poison, and Magnus had to agree.

Magnus eyed their little group with interest. He knew where Kale's powers excelled. He also knew Rhys was physically strong and dabbled in the darker part of the arts, he'd be better for hand to hand combat. But he didn't know anything of the other two warlocks. From Bev's marks, it could be assumed she was also better suited for up close and personal combat. But Sage?

The blond met his eyes with an amused smile that held a promise that under other circumstances would have perked his interest. But not anymore.

"Leave a diversion to me," Kale flexed his fingers, itching for an abuse of power. "Magnus can portal you all in. Rhys, you know where they are keeping her?"

Rhys's smile was cruel. "Oh, I know."

Kale gave Magnus a meaningful look. "Alright. Let's kick some Nephilim ass."

Magnus found he wasn't nearly as excited about this as his comrades. He never liked battle or war. But he did want to retrieve his friend. Catarina was special to him. She and Ragnor had been his traveling companions for a long time before he settled in London with Camille.

The green eyed warlock jogged away to take position hidden among some trees. Magnus felt the familiar rumbling under his feet as his friend's power began to build.

"This way." Magnus led the rest of their group to a wall. The enchantments and protections around the Institute took him a moment. He murmured through one spell after another, nullifying the wards and convincing them he had complete permission to teleport here, after all, he'd done it before. His portal shimmered into life as the ground began to shake. The quake wrenched the ground upward, tearing gates, locks, and crumbling stone. A shockwave shattered the light bulbs on the street lights causing sparks as the warlocks pushed through the portal.

Magnus knew every inch of the institute, but the place he remembered the most clearly was the library. That's where the portal dropped them. The quake continued to build. Shouts came from the hallway outside the room. An explosion shook the room and books fell from the shelves, cracks appeared in the wood.

"She's in the crypt." Rhys said, having to speak louder over the commotion.

They spilled out into the hall. Before Magnus had the chance to stop him, Rhys sprang into action, taking a startled shadowhunter by the neck and snapping it with a twitch of his fingers. Magnus blinked wide eyed as the body slid to the floor. Bev leapt over the prone body and took off after the sounds of shouting.

"You don't have to—" Magnus started to object.

"We'll take care of the Nephilim." Rhys said, meeting eyes with Sage. "Go retrieve her."

"Yes, love." Sage purred, "Do enjoy yourself."

The bloodied warlock flashed a frightening grin before taking off down the corridor after Bev. The ground shook harder, Magnus almost lost his footing.

An errant streak of lightning lit the sky from outside the window. The thunderous voice of God boomed in its wake, "**RETURN CATARINA OR YOU SHALL NOT LIVE.**" Kale's demon mark was unusual. His natural voice reverberated for miles and miles. Loud as the voice of God.

Magnus tried to ignore the guilt, knowing of the slaughter happening further inside the institute. He did not like violence. He decided to distract himself with unrelated details. The two began their descent down the winding staircases. "So." he cleared his throat. "You and Rhys?"

Sage tilted his head. "Does that bother you?"

"No." Magnus made a face. "I just don't understand the attraction... he's a little bit..."

Sage's smile was captivating. "He's endearing, in his own right."

Magnus couldn't help but shudder, it made the blond laugh. "So have you ever seen hi-"

"Stop right there!" A voice shouted from just below them. A shadowhunter, dressed in black and armed with a glowing angelic blade guarded the door to the crypt. The ground gave another shudder, causing a shower of dust and sand on them.

"Give us Catarina back and no one else has to get hurt." Magnus raised his hand to snap but Sage put a halting hand on his arm. The blond narrowed his eyes as an amused smile graced his face.

The shadhowhunter went rigid. A mark flared and died from beneath his armor. The man fell back against the door, sword clattering to the floor. He clutched as his chest gasping in wide eyed horror as blood bubbled up through his lips. Trails of bloody tears streamed down his cheeks. He convulsed once and fell to the floor in a shower of blood.

Magnus winced as he and Sage were spattered with drops of blood. On red armor, it wouldn't be easily seen, but he'd tied Alec's scarf to him. Doubtless the man would not like the blood of his comrades on his neck, literally or figuratively. Sage used biokinesis to cause a spontaneous heart attack? Or Ebola? He would ask, but he honestly wouldn't know if he could stomach the answer. Magnus dropped his face to his hand. Perhaps next time they ought to lay some ground rules about killing needlessly. He could have merely knocked the Nephilim out.

"Coming, love?" Sage asked as he hopped down the last of the stairs, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

Magnus joined him at the foot of the stairs. He offered the deceased a look of remorse before following the blond into the crypt. Back in time, the crypt had been the Head of the Institute's private workshop. Now it was a dungeon. "Flattered as I am, you just killed a man that didn't need to have to die. Endearments aren't going help your case."

Dust rained down on them as they ran through the stairs. Cracks appeared as the stones buckled and heaved. Damn it, Kale. Couldn't he give them a few seconds between quakes? If he kept this up the whole place would collapse with them in it.

Down the corridor, they checked each cell. Cell. They'd put a healer in a dungeon cell.

Sage called from down one hallway. "I don't see here yet."

"She's better be here, the Institute won't hold up to Kale's temper long enough for us to search the whole building." Magnus kept the panic to a roiling in his stomach. Too much work to do to get upset now.

"Magnus?" A weak voice croaked from the back of a dark cell.

"Catarina!" He studied the cell lock a moment before snapping his fingers. A flash erupted but the metal was untouched. "Find the key, Sage." Magnus turned green at the thought to searching the dead Nephilim.

Catarina's long blue hair was a tangled mess. Her beautiful sun dress had been torn and bloodied. A fine point of rage sparked in Magnus's heart. There was no excuse. His magic was not tied to closely to his emotions like Kale, but power danced along his fingertips. A vehement growl and sneer, Magnus put his hand on the metal and poured his fury into it. The slag sizzled in the dirt.

She jerked against the cuffs.

"Don't worry, darling. We're getting you out of here." He reached out and smoothed the blue hair away from her face. Her eyes were cloudy and distant, but she recognized him. A small smile lifts her lips. Magnus frowned. The blessed cuffs were bad enough, but they shouldn't have reduced her to this …state. She must've been drugged.

Another tremor made Magnus swear. It pitched Catarina into his lap. Briefly he was grateful for this armor that kept the holy metal from burning his skin. Sage came over with the keys and they released her with sparks of energy and a sizzle of flesh.

Catarina collapsed into Magnus's arms. She kept mumbling something about not knowing what they wanted but Magnus shushed her. Another explosion shook the room, causing chains and unpleasant things to clang to the floor. "We have to get out of here."

Another boom sounded from somewhere above them followed by a resounding CRACK. A wave to heat prickled Magnus's skin.

"Do you smell smoke?" Sage asked, curiously cocking his head.

Magnus's eyes widened. Damn Kale! He did not just open a crack to the mantle of the earth! "Take her." He shoved Catarina into Sage's arms and summoned another portal. The room shook again, the walls starting to crumble. "Go! Go! Go!" He shouted to the blond who quickly carried the now unconscious warlock through the portal.

The two of them popped back out in the clearing. Sage curled around Catarina to protect her form the force of the portal. Kale watched the building go up in flames with glee. Rhys and Bev appeared, bloody and singed over the top of a crumbling wall. They wore identical expressions of savage joy. Sage gave Caratina to Magnus and went to join them.

"Honestly, Kale." Sage sighed. "How are we going to explain this?"

"It could have been any of you," Kale couldn't even feign innocence or dismay.

"Burn, baby, burn!" Bev cackled. "That's a beautiful sight! Take that you motherfuckers!"

"They're already dead." Magnus sat down, cradling Catarina in his lap. He checked her over carefully. Her wounds comprised of mostly the cuffs and internal bleeding that made him suddenly feel not unhappy they all died. He bathed her in a warm blue light to do what he could to ease the pain.

Kale dropped down next to him, grinning. "Just like old times!"

Swallowing hard, Magnus wouldn't look at him. He idly pet back Catarina's long blue hair.

"Hey." Kale nudged him with his knee. "What's eating you? You aren't still pissed about earlier are you? You've never had trouble getting some. Hell, Sage would do you right now."

Magnus shot him a look. "Whatever is happening with the Coven, leave me out of it." He rose to his feet, caring Catalina in his arms as if she weighed nothing. "And stay away from Alexander or you and I are going to have a problem."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's notes: *ahem* This chapter contains SEX so if you do not like SEX do not read it. k? Oh and my beta/editor Clef is a crazy bitch and I love her! She is responsible for the lovely bathroom scene. Clef gives props and a shout out to MaybeTheresHope and her wonderful Glamourverse fics. Without that amazing erotic series, this chapter would not have been possible**

~Chapter Three~

At first he thought the shimmering wall was just a dream induced hallucination. Then someone stepped through, he knew it could only be one person. "Magnus...?" Alec sleepily sat up in his bed. Magnus stood at the foot of the it, looking harried, tired and dirty. His hair hung in limp, matted strands, his face streaked with soot and glitter.

A red splatter on his clothing and face drove Alec to his feet. He knew the smell of blood thirty feet away. "What happened? Are you hurt?" Alec reached up and took his face in his hands. He turned it left and right searching for any injuries. Seeing none he abandoned the face to search his body. The sparkly red armor made it difficult to distinguish between shadow and stain. The sash seemed familiar, though.

"It's not mine." Magnus replied hoarsely. He put his hands over Alec's wrists. They trembled. "I know it's late… I just-needed to see you."

He searched the green-gold eyes for a hint to his distress. "You can come here anytime you want." Brushing a stray bit hair out his his way, Alec leaned up to place a chaste kiss on his boyfriend's lips. Quietly, he pulled the warlock to sit on his bed. Fingers nimble with years of practice, he started unbuckling the armor and peeling it from Magnus's body. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Magnus opened his mouth to object but Alec stopped him with a touch.

He knew this routine. The battle guilt, the first kill was always the hardest. Alec did not know yet what had shaken Magnus so, during the Alliance Battle he'd been fine, cavalier even. He disappeared into his bathroom and came back with a wet towel. He let the cool water play over his hands and took a deep breath. Fear and adrenaline left him shaken but he was nothing if not his parents' son. He could be calm in the face of Magnus battle confusion. He shoved the panic back into a little corner of his mind where he could divorce himself from it and its effects.

When he came out, Magnus was staring at his shoes, lost in a thought, very far away.

Padding over to him, Alec wiped his face with the damp towel. "Is this Kale's work?" He did not want to sound jealous or angry. Angel knew, it took him hours to calm down enough after he'd left. Sleep was a distant concept and lie.

A smile quirked Magnus's lips like he wanted to laugh. Catching Alec's hands he pulled them from his face. "Come here." He tugged the reluctant shadowhunter onto his lap and hugged him.

Startled, Alec pat his back awkwardly. "Magnus..." He smiled fondly.

"Just…" Magnus inhaled deeply. "Let me hold you …just for a moment… Please?"

His heart clenched. Who could possibly refuse a request like that? Something awful must have happened to reduce his glittering wonder to a lost, lonely expression of despair. He adjusted his position to melt into the hug. He wrapped his arms completely around him.

Magnus buried his face in the crook of Alec's neck. He attempted to hold him even closer, like he could crawl inside and hide. His lean frame was stronger than he looked. It hurt but Alec didn't mind. He covered Magnus's head, rubbing his cheek against the dirty black hair.

After a long moment, he whispered, "Magnus?"

"I have to tell you something." He whispered against Alec's collarbone, almost reluctantly.

He kissed the skin he could reach without moving him. Alec's voice did not reach beyond the circle of his arms. "You can tell me anything."

"Not this. I ...should not have...you will not want me. In your life... I…"

There were several answers Alec thought of in a span of a heartbeat, but he picked the most honest and comforting thing he could think of. "There is nothing we can't face together."

Magnus finally released the crushing hold he had on Alec so the shadowhunter could move back. He kneaded his fingers into Alec's sides, as a sad heart-rending smile appeared on his face. "That's a terribly romanticized thing to say, is it not?"

Alec felt himself blush. "You're finally rubbing off on me." He loved Magnus's excessive romantic gestures, no matter how embarrassed or angry he got. He still loved them. Right down to the belly-dance lessons in India. Not that he would ever admit it aloud. "Besides, you forgave me, what kind of person would I be if I didn't do the same? You get automatically forgiven for one epic fuck-up." He chewed his lower lip and tried to get Magnus to smile. He added offhandedly, blush betraying him. "So, if you want to sleep with Jace, now is the time."

That earned him a startled laugh. "No, I have no desire of any kind..." Magnus shook his head, smiling.

"If you can still laugh it can't be insurmountable."

The smile faded. "Have I ever told you of Catarina?"

"Hm," Alec hummed with a nod. "You traveled with her and Ragnor Fell for years a long time ago. I remember."

Magnus busied himself with smoothing Alec's hair, looking anywhere but at him. "Well… the Clave… in London. Took her." He cleared his throat. "That's what Kale came-to tell me. They kidnapped. Her." He grimaced. "And interrogated her."

Alec went very still. His lips suddenly went dry; he licked them. "That's... not..." He wanted to protest the Clave's innocence, say that it broke the Accords, say that heroes didn't do that, but they had done the same thing to Simon. "They couldn't..."

That same wretched, sad smile appeared on his face. "No, darling, they did."

"Are you...? I'm sure this was just a-a-a misunderstanding." _Or me being gullible. _"I'll send a message to them right now." He slid off Magnus's lap and the warlock let him go.

"We broke her out of the Institute."

Alec stopped halfway to his desk. Institutes were fortresses. No one was supposed to be able to break in to or out of the buildings. Not even all-powerful High Warlocks. "You did what?"

Closing his eyes miserably, Magnus continued. "We broke in. Got Catarina out. It was-" His eyes opened meeting Alec's and the sound simply died on his lips.

Alec swallowed hard, feeling slightly sick. There were very large repercussions to saving his friend. "Will she be alright?"

"She will be." Magnus leaned forward, his elbows on his legs. "I left her with a friend who is better at healing than I am."

_Better at? How badly was she injured?_ Alec pressed his lips together. "That's good then." He whispered, turning back to his desk. Numbly, he reached for the back of his chair to support himself with. The Accords covered many things, but it did not afford Downworlders much protection against the Clave. Attacking an Institute would send the Clave a clear message. Their numbers were low, to look weak now, in the wake of Valentine's second rebellion and Jonathan's Infernal Cup... Alec shook his head. The Clave was in serious trouble.

"That's not all of it." Magnus said.

Closing his eyes, Alec braced himself for it. He should've known that couldn't be all of it, with how delicately Magnus was telling him this.

"The Institute..." Magnus began. "None of the Nephilim made it out."

His mouth dropped open. "By the angel…" He whispered.

"Alexander." Magnus sounded so far away. "Alec."

Straightening himself up, Alec turned back to the warlock. There were things to be done, families to notify, rites to be given. His mind raced and Alec paced his room in time with his thoughts. "How many were there?"

"Thirteen."

"How many did you kill?"

Magnus met his eyes for a moment before answering. "None."

Alec nodded. _Okay. Good._ He could handle this. The Clave got caught red-handed and lost the fight. Word would get around eventually, but then Clave would lash out to retain its semblance of power. Or it would hang the dead hunters out to dry, say they had gone rogue, weren't acting under their orders. He hoped they didn't make much publicly given statements about it. There were libraries full of the Nephilim's... _war crimes,_ Alec thought. Idris lived in a constant state of war.

"But I didn't do anything to stop them." Magnus continued, dejected. "And I should have…" He rubbed a hand across his face, streaking even more black and glitter across his face.

Watching him from the corner of his eye, Alec bit his bottom lip. The warlock looked truly miserable. He went to him, covering him in a loose hug. "You cannot control the actions of others."

"I should have known." He continued hoarsely. "But all I cared about was Catarina being safe. It didn't hit me until I was outside watching the institute burn."

_Watching my brothers and sisters burn._ Alec remained silent. He felt so conflicted, he was at a loss for what to say. Half of him wanted to throw himself at Magnus and kiss away all the hurt, but the other half wanted to kick and scream and demand to know how Magnus could possibly do such a thing and then come to him like this.

Magnus picked his head up and gazed at Alec imploringly. "Afterwards all I could think of was you…I just needed to tell you…so you understood why."

"I do understand." Alec whispered, stricken. He did. "I would have done the same thing…" _And killed everyone along the way myself to rescue you or Izzy or Jace or any Shadowhunter_. It was the Nephilim way. Their training and life made them bloody weapons. Somehow in the rush of falling in love, he'd allowed himself to forget what he was and where he came from. The World of Magnus, of Them, was an insulated place of glitter, hearts made of rose petals, cat food, henna tattoos, Here-Alec-Try-This, and mind-blowing sex. The Clave, the world he came from, was not how he used to see it. He thought their Mission was just, demons were horrific and did need to be slain. But with each passing day he saw the corruption. He saw it rooted deeper and deeper into everything the Clave said and did. Alec couldn't say what the Clave stood for anymore, by extension what he stood for.

The smile that came from Magnus was self-deprecating. "No one had to die…" Magnus's voice brought him out of his head. He watched that lower lip quiver. "You know, Alexander, humans are so ...delicate, even you nephilim." He took a shaky breath. "I'm such a coward."

That finally prompted Alec to protest. "You are not a coward." He dropped to his knees in front of the stricken warlock. "Magnus." He said, putting his hands on the man's knees. "You are anything but."

"Oh… I am." Magnus replied. His face had a painfully vulnerable openness to it. "The only reason I'm not residing on some remote island sipping sangria is because of you."

"Me?" Alec frowned, thinking. "But you haven't been with me for months." He propped his elbows on Magnus's knees and rested his hands against the glittery red.

Magnus stroking his thumb over Alec's hands, soothingly. In a mildly detached and absent voice, he said, "I'm getting blood all over your sheets."

Snorting, Alec leaned up and kissed him. "Do you have any idea how many times I have collapsed on this bed after a mission still in bloody armor?" He lost himself for a long moment staring into green-gold cat eyes. "However, we should get you cleaned up…"

Magnus gave a watery laugh. "I must look dreadful." He covered his eyes with his free hand. "Here I'm supposed to be wooing you and I show up with tidings of death and torture."

"I love you." Alec told him fiercely. The force of the feeling was the only certain thing Alec felt in all the chaos of this day. "And right now, I can't do anything about the rest of it. But I can focus on you." He kissed Magnus again as he stood. "Come on; let's get you a warm shower." He held his hand out to him which Magnus instantly took.

Alec led him into the adjoined bathroom. He set Magnus against the counter for support while he turned on the shower. He peeled the armor completely off. Magnus put up no resistance, letting Alec do as he pleased. He studiously ignored the reaction disrobing Magnus gave him. A faint flush filled his face, he desperately wanted to run his hands over that caramel colored skin. With what Magnus had just gone through, Alec told himself he wouldn't be up for that. He made a pile of the gear in the corner, hanging his scarf on the towel rack. Once the shower had warmed enough for his liking he turned back to Magnus. The man watched him with a heated expression.

For a moment Alec stared at him, stunned. It'd been five months without seeing that look. Wanton heat in those cat eyes made him feel like he was about to be devoured. He swallowed loudly.

Magnus stepped forward and kissed Alec deeply. Lips sliding firmly and gently prodding. His amazingly talented tongue drawing a moan from the younger man. He hands were all over him, down his back, squeezing his ass.

The sensation made Alec's cock twitch. Arms wrapped around Magnus's neck, he ground his erection against his naked warlock. _Why am I wearing clothes?_ The need to be skin to skin overwhelmed any objects he's considered. He hastily shed his shirt and pants. "If anyone interrupts," Alec said between kisses, "send them to Siberia."

A throaty chuckle from Magnus, he asked, "Even Jace?" He stepped into the bathtub, taking Alec with him.

It was sexiest thing in the world to watch Magnus's lithe torso glisten under the spray. "Especially Jace." He ran his hands over the smooth flesh, unblemished with scars and marks. Lithe and lean, his body was so very different from Alec's battle-honed muscles. He wanted to take care of Magnus this night. Water had always made Magnus extra sensitive.

Magnus watched him with heated eyes as he grabbed his bottle of shampoo. Squeezing a liberal amount into his hand Alec smiled at Magnus and raised an eyebrow, patiently waiting. Surprise widened his boyfriend's eyes before Magnus dropped to his knees, head falling just right in the spray. He lathered the soap into the tangled, limp hair, massaging it into a frothy mess of peaks.

With his eyes closed, Magnus swayed with the movements. He put his hands on Alec's hips to steady himself, massaging those muscles in return. That was all the warning Alec had before a hot mouth enveloped him.

"OH MY—" His fingers buried in Magnus's hair he gripped hard in surprise. "Okay," He choked weakly, staring down. If there was anything more erotic then seeing those full lips slid up and down his erection, it was the feel of it. Magnus's talented tongue swirling around the shaft and then he _hummed_. Alec's knees nearly gave out. He was treated to several minutes of glorious, wet, pulsing heat.

Then the evil bastard stopped. Alec told him exactly what he thought about this in no uncertain terms. An equally evil laugh Magnus left him with a kiss at the tip.

"Say yes." He licked down the vein and over his balls, spreading Alec's legs.

"Yes." Alec knew where this was going. His hands flew to the walls, but could not find something to hold onto. "Oh my—Magnus," he started to objected when Magnus's tongue went just to the edge of the rim. Alec spasmed and fell. "Fuck!"

Surprised, Magnus half caught him, looked up and couldn't even pretend to be embarrassed. "Right, no handholds here. Sorry, sweetheart. Are you alright?" The man was laughing.

Alec had ended up with one leg over the lip of the tub, awkwardly catching his elbows on the edges, feeling entirely exposed. "I—" He started to say he was fine, but Magnus was laughing at him. "I demand a comfier place to sit." He wiped at the spray of water that hit him directly in the face.

Leaning up, Magnus rinsed the shampoo from his hair, glittery soap decorating his chest enticingly. He also managed to block the spray enough that Alec could breath. His fingers followed the soap down to his erection. "Baby, when I'm done with you, you won't be able to sit for a week." He promised.

Angel, he missed that.

"Now stand up and turn around. I want to fuck you with my tongue." Magnus's voice dropped lower and hotter with every word. "I won't let you fall on anything but my sword. Again. And again. And if we have any energy left, maybe you can pound me into your mattress. Now on your feet, shadowhunter."

Alec's eyes nearly rolled back in his head. Magnus liked tell him exactly what he was about to do and then do it exquisitely more pleasurable than he'd imagined. Face flushed with anticipation, he gained his feet and braced himself against the wall. He didn't think he could get more hard, but then Magnus gave him an _order_ and he whimpered with need.

"Have you lost your voice, shadowhunter?"

"No." He choked, which shortly might turn into a yes.

Magnus grabbed his erection a little roughly. "No, what?"

"No, s-no, sir." He clenched his teeth. Massaging nearly did him in. It had been five months since he'd had sex, did Magnus really think he could last all that long?

Apparently so, Magnus wasted no time, spreading Alec's cheeks. The first licks brought little cries from Alec. He bucked back and Magnus's hand became immovable objects, hold him in place. Long, wet lunges put his mind in a haze of pleasure that had him shouting and begging for more. He fought against the hands holding him still; he needed _more_ and _deeper_ and _now_.

Through the mind-blowing pleasure, he must have told Magnus this. Sandalwood fills his lungs and a moment later that magnificent tongue was replaced by a slender finger. Then two, and three, slick and sliding right into that cluster of nerves.

Alec saw stars. "MAGNUS!"

He was abruptly brought down hard into Magnus's lap with expert aim. Alec's body jerked as he felt the familiar girth and pressure that slammed into him, crying out in pain. A moment of complete stillness brought Alec home into his body. His back was pressed against Magnus's chest, both of them folded over the man's kneeling thighs. His arms had been pinned to his chest by the hold from behind. He adjusted his legs to be folded on the outside of Magnus's. He exhaled, adjusting to the depth and uncomfortableness slowly. It had been five months. It wasn't that he'd forgotten how big and wide Magnus was, but his body seemed to have.

Breathing heavily in his ear, Magnus did not move. "Alec…?"

"S'okay," he whispered back. "I've missed you…" he breathed, slowly relaxing. "Angel, I want you to, just, a little… before you run me through."

He kissed the back of Alec's neck and shoulder before he started moving. Staying curled around him, Magnus flicked his hips forward, out and in barely an inch, rubbing against his prostate coming and going.

"Ohhhh…." Sex on a balcony watching the sunrise, held in his lap with those little thrusts that lasted for _hours_. The memory made him shiver and jerk his hips back. He loved when Magnus surrounded him. "Yes, angel, please—" He bit his lip.

Faster now, he could feel the smile against his skin. "Since you asked so nicely," He pulled Alec away as he pulled out and thrust them back together in a broken rhythm. Alec shouted string of sex induced expletives. Finally, Magnus propped him up against the tub an began thrusting in earnest.

Long, full slaps of skin on skin made stars flare behind his eyes. Turning his face into his arm, Alec relished in the feel "Oh, angel..." _The feel of his breath against his skin. The scrape of his beard._ "Oh, Magnus." _The feel of his weight. _"Don't stop." _The smell of his skin. _"I love you." _The low guttural noises he made._ "Oh g-"

"Alec. Alec. Baby." Magnus keened. He would not last much longer.

The thrusts quickened. Slippery friction and heat stole Alec's ability to breath for a moment. Magnus reached around Alec with one hand to coax him along, so they could climax together. He hardly needed encouragement.

"ALEC!" _The sound of his name on his lips right as he came._

He could feel the pressure of the semen filling him as he came in Magnus's hand. Alec collapsed against the bathtub. For a moment all he knew was a span of mindless void.

When he came back down, Magnus had draped himself over him. Still, he could tell the water had gone cold beneath his legs. He gave the man a languid, satisfied smile. "We have to wash in a cold shower now," he said, sleepily. "I was supposed to take care of you."

A throaty laugh shook Magnus and vibrated through Alec causing spasms, making him moan. "Sweetheart, you have. You are." A twinkle of pride in those green-gold eyes reassured Alec. It always amazing him that so power and sexy and confident a man chose to love him. "Are you alright?"

"More than." Alec gave another lazy smile, happy to be in his lap connected in body. He turned to look at Magnus from the corner of his eye. "'Cept I don't have the energy to reduce you to an sex-out, immovable lump."

Magnus looked amused. He cupped his face and kissed him softly. There was no lust in it, just affection. "Tomorrow, then." He looked behind him, and moved a finger at the faucet knob. The water stopped.

Alec opened his mouth, wanting desperately to ask him if they could sleep like this. He'd regret the pain in the morning, but he didn't want Magnus to leave him. Not yet. He gripped the arms around him, pressing them closer.

Purring, rubbing his face against the side of Alec's head, Magnus snagged the towel from the rack without moving. He toweled them off together, "You know I go back in, right?"

Alec found he was not too tired to blush. He gave a small nod, not trusting his voice. There was a tight sensation behind his eyes.

"Don't be ever ashamed to ask for what you need. I don't want to be apart from you, too."

They both collapsed into bed. They made themselves comfortable, Magnus curling around him. He pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I missed being home." He murmured sleepily, entwining their fingers.

"Me, too, darling." Came the whispered answer. "Me, too."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: I would just like to thank each and everyone of you who has submitted a review. It's so amazing to know people enjoy the story and it keeps us working hard to bring you more chapters! **

~Chapter Four~

The first thing Magnus noted when he woke, was Alec's absence. He reached out blindly with the hope that perhaps he just rolled away in sleep. No such luck. With a dejected sigh, Magnus opened his eyes. Light beat through the curtains. Rolling over, Magnus forced himself up into a seated position. He stretched his arms over his head, wincing when his joints popped. It was hell getting old.

Waking alone was never his favorite cup of tea. He ran a hand lovingly over the spot Alec slept in. The sheets were cool; he'd been gone for a while. Magnus frowned. How Alec managed to sneak away in the night without him noticing was a mystery. Perhaps he needed to tie a little bell around the shadowhunter's neck like Chairman Meow. He brightened at the mental image of the blushing and angry sputtering that would follow. Unless he could convince him to try it just once. For sex. For the music. A devious smile curved his lips as he started to plan.

A note sat on the bedside table on Magnus's side. He gingerly plucked it from the wooden surface. In Alec's hurried script it said 'I stole some glitter for you from Izzy's room. Got called away to an emergency meeting.' The bottom of the note had a smudge, like Alec started to write something else but thought better of it. Magnus smiled, picking up the small tube of pink and silver glitter.

He stumbled into the bathroom to wash his face and take care of other necessities. He grimaced. _Oh, you look awful._ He thought to his reflection. He'd fallen asleep with wet hair and it dried in all different directions. Some would call it punk chic, Magnus called it atrocious. The gray of his pallor made the bags under his eyes look like bruises. He still had dark smudges left from his black eyeliner that never washed off. Even his fingernails needed some T.L.C.

Magnus opened a drawer in the sink counter and curiously found a familiar tube of hair gel. He picked it up and surprised. Apparently his little Alexander had stolen it from his bathroom. Not that he minded. Curious now, Magnus peeked into the shower. The shampoo, conditioner and soap, all the same brand he used. He briefly considered taking another shower, but doing so without Alec at this point did not hold as much appeal.

A satisfied smile split his lips. Alec made the most delicious noises during sex. Once he'd gotten the man to open his mouth and let it out. The little shadowhunter still needed permission to let go, ordering it relieved him of the guilt. Building up his self-confidence was a work in progress. Five months alone didn't seem to have done him any favors.

Armed with his favorite hair staple, Magnus wet his hair and wove in the gel forming his beloved spikes to perfection. The glitter Alec stole wasn't the color he was feeling, but he put some in it anyway. He conjured himself an outfit to match. He picked a pair of comfortable dark pink, skinny jeans and that leather t-shirt he'd wanted from Saks. Black sneakers with silver laces finished his outfit. He eyed his orange chipped nails forlornly, Alec would not have any nail polish, and he really didn't feel like searching Isabelle's room. Black bracelet cuffs studded with silver, a small mass of metal and jelly bracelets and a few necklaces for sparkle on his chest, he deemed himself vaguely presentable to the world. With a sigh of deepest regret he exited the bathroom.

Who knew how long Alec would be away. Studying the room, he worried his bottom lip. He could simply leave and wait for Alec to call. Or he could stay here and snoop. He'd never been in Alec's room alone before._ I can weasel my way out anything,_ Magnus justified to himself. _It's not like Alec is capable of holding a grudge._

All of the bedrooms in the Institute had the same furnishings. Each room held a full-size bed with two side tables, a bureau that should have a mirror but Alec's was suspiciously absent, a writing desk and bookshelf all made of a dark oak. At the foot of the bed was a weapons chest. His pile of armor from the bathroom had been draped carefully on it and cleaned. The blue scarf was nowhere to be found.

He went to the desk first. Seating himself in the cushy chair he opened a drawer, nothing exciting there, just writing supplies. Shutting it, he moved down to the next drawer and found a stack of magazines. Magnus smiled to himself and pulled out the stack, and flipped through them. National Geographic, Time, Popular Photography, Art & Architecture, Glitter, Popular Mechanics, Archaeology, Nuts & Volts, and Astronomy. Intrigued Magnus pulled out Glitter, it seemed an odd choice for Alec. On the cover was a gentleman wearing one of Magnus's party outfits. A shimmering navy blue mesh shirt over gothic black pants with removable straps underneath a long black trench coat. _Ah._ Flipping through the rest of the magazine, Magnus saw a few dog eared pages of outfits. These weren't for Alec. Magnus felt slightly giddy at the idea of Alec shopping for clothes for him. It was rather precious actually. He marked a few of the pages with a _yes, please_! or _you should wear this_ on Alec's choices.

Shoving the magazines back into the drawer, Magnus moved to the other side of the desk. He opened the solitary large drawer full of files. _Shadowhunter paperwork? _He felt a brief pang of empathy for the man and quickly shut it. Tapping his fingers on the desk top, he took the corner stack of papers and spread them out across the surface. Sketches of runes, armor and even a little cartoon drawing. Upon closer inspection, it was a stick figure with a mop of blond hair getting struck repeatedly by lightning. Jace? Magnus smirked, it could possibly be Sebastian, or Jonathan, as that was his real name.

Pushing away from the desk, Magnus eyed the room, enjoying the rush of excitement his searching endeavor created. When one lived as long as he did, few things held any wonder anymore. _Except for Alec's eyes, those hold wonder. And joy. And love..._ He got to his knees to check under the bed. Several boxes rested snugly nestled together. With glee, Magnus pulled one out, a small shoe box. Opening it, Magnus's eyes softened. The crumpled invitation from Chairman Meow's party when they first met, a SD card, one of the Chairman's catnip toys, a broken phone, and a photo strip of the two of them. Magnus remembered that night fondly; Alec drank a bit too much with dinner and turned quite feverish with affection. He'd have done anything Magnus wanted. That particular night, Magnus wanted to canoodle in a photo booth. It surprised him that Alec actually kept the evidence, especially after the luscious shade of red he turned when he'd relayed what happened the next morning. Much to Magnus's delight, he also found a tiny plastic spider ring. He'd won it at some carnival game on Staten Island and gave it to Alec as a bit of a joke. He turned the tiny trinket over in his fingers with an affection. He carefully deposited all the items back into the box and set it aside, making a mental note to continue to give Alec silly trinkets.

The second box held various instruction sheets for items Magnus never heard of. There were smaller boxes and bags of nuts, bolts, screws, tubes, and springs. The tool kit seemed focused on excruciatingly small details and things. Like a circuit boards and other human inventions he mused. He chuckled to himself, his little Nephilim liked to tinker. His apartment would need some electronic projects now he that he knew.

The final box broke Magnus's heart. It held mementos of Alec's youngest brother. A pair of cracked glasses, a family photograph, a faded cartoon sticker, an old comic book, and t-shirt with a Superman patch messily stitched on it. Magnus's chest tightened. He'd been busy trying to cure Jocelyn Fairchild when it happened. He could still remember the stricken state he'd found Alec in when he had returned. He decided to whisk him away on a grand world tour, to try and ease the pain. They kept as busy as possible. But Alec still found time to be alone with his grief, where the warlock wasn't welcome. Magnus shoved the box back under the bed, a little harder than he meant to.

Getting back to his feet, Magnus headed towards the closet, throwing the door open. Clothing lay abandoned on the floor. Hangers hung depressingly empty. Sighing, Magnus bent down and picked up a jacket. Holding it out in front of him he frowned. The color had long since faded and stains had turned the soft material into a gray it actually wasn't. Magnus shook it out and draped it on a hanger. He studied it for a moment, then snapped his fingers and replaced it with a newer version of the same jacket. Alec wouldn't notice something that small he hoped, unless he noticed being warmer. He proceeded to pick up the rest of the pile hanging the discarded items up. He really needed to teach Alexander how to appreciate clothing.

_Although_... he frowned and picked up something hidden behind a suitcase. _Is that where that went?_ He smiled at Alec's theft of his long black wool coat. Underneath was a layer of gold that shimmered through in the right light. It also had ostentatiously large gold buttons. He hung it up with a grin. He supposed he should start saying things like Alec, that thief, stole my heart, too, but without an audience he saved it for later.

With all the clothes hung, more treasures appeared. A poster still wrapped in plastic sat in the far corner of the closet. A gift from someone he assumed. The printed on the faded label was Northern Sky. An old telescope missing a lens sat propped up next to an empty suitcase. Another box full of random cameras and parts hid itself behind a long black coat. A photo album nestled in the edge of the box. Magnus pulled it out and blew the dust off the top of it. To his disappointment it held no pictures; he needed to get their vacation pictures printed for him.

The dresser drawers held rumpled jeans and t-shirts. In the bottom of the drawer a layer of folded, new garments sat. It appeared Alec just grabbed whatever was on top and forgot about the rest. On top of the chest, Alec had two picture frames. One of a photo of Alec, Izzy and Jace squeezed together on a bench in Central Park. Jace and Izzy sat poised and perfect with Alec slumped between them, looking like he wished to be anywhere else. The other showed Alec and Jace outside some restaurant. Jace smiled smugly at the camera, his arm thrown haphazardly over Alec's shoulder. Alec's blue eyes sparkled happily at the attention. Magnus turned that photo face down, feeling queasy.

Alec owned one bookcase with three shelves, filled to capacity with several volumes stacked on top of the rows. Like the magazines, the subjects varied. Warlocks, Runes, Angels, mythology, theology, weaponry, ancient languages and zoology just to name a few. Stuck between volumes were spiral bound notebooks. Magnus chose one at random and pulled it from the shelf. He opened it and flipped through pages and pages of Alec's handwriting. He sorted through each notebook. Some held fiction stories, some held notes about subjects magical and not magical, some even held poetry. Alec never struck Magnus as the type to be into that sort of thing. He smiled sadly at the parallel with Will Herondale. Feeling nostalgic, Magnus tugged out the last notebook and opened it. He swallowed hard, running his fingers over the writing. It was a journal. He flipped open to a page near the end where he saw his name, then shut it again quickly. He wasn't ready for that.

He sat down on the bed and frowned. He heard what sounded suspiciously like the crinkle of paper. _Oh…?_ Magnus grinned sliding off the bed. He picked up the mattress and found a hidden gem, a small stack of playgirl magazines. He picked them up and a post-it note fell out. 'These ought to help you forget about Magnus. J' Magnus would kill Jace. He took a moment to flip through the materials to take note to what appeared to be the most interest to Alec. Wiping a hand over his face, Magnus frowned and swallowed loudly. Had he opened these? He wanted to see Alec, and he wanted to see him right now. He put the magazines back in their hiding place and peeked out of the room.

He slipped out into a silent hallway. He'd been in the Institute on numerous occasions. A twinge of regret hit him as the memory of the night before, but he quickly shook it off. His blue eyed Nephilim forgave him. Nothing else mattered. At least for the time being. He needed to go visit Catarina, make sure there were no ill effects of her imprisonment.

When he made it to the main foyer he could hear faint voices. Something brushed against his legs. Church yowled at him impatiently, wanting attention. "Ah!" Magnus said, bending over to scratch the cat behind the ears. "Do you know where my darling Alec is?"

The cat rolled over showing him his belly. After Magnus complied and gave him a rub he blinked up at him with large eyes and twitch of his tail. Then he turned around and stalked down the corridor. Magnus followed obediently.

The silent, sterile atmosphere never appealed much to Magnus. Robert and Maryse Lightwood lacked the warm touch that turned places like this into a home. No family pictures adorned the walls. No personal items out in the main area. Nothing. Magnus found he missed the random comic books or shoes that Max used to leave behind; he could only imagine how the family felt. Loss was something you never got used to, but you did move forward.

No wonder Alec stayed with Magnus whenever he could. Not that Magnus minded, not at all. He'd prefer if Alec would permanently move to his apartment. Perhaps they could discuss such a move in the near future. He knew the only reasons Alec stayed: Isabelle and Jace.

"You must have some kind of death wish, downworlder… Setting foot on sacred ground like this." An angry yet infuriatingly familiar voice said.

Magnus turned to face Jace who stood in the doorway he'd just passed through. The mere sound of the blond's voice made him angry. A small surge power swelled up inside him. "Well, if it isn't the Clave's little golden boy…" he drawled. "How lovely to see you, too."

Jace stalked forward, like the fool he was. "Did you think you could just come in here after what you did?" He got in Magnus's face, poking an accusing finger in his chest. His golden eyes held such contempt. So much hatred for such a young thing.

"After what I did?" Magnus's lips quirked. "What exactly did I do, little shadowhunter?"

The blond let out a growl. "Alec may side with your kind. But I don't." He sneered. "I know _exactly _what you are. The Clave will send you with your filthy demon fathers back to hell where you bel-"

Magnus snapped his fingers and Jace's mouth shut with a clash of his teeth. "Shut up, child." His eyes flashed dangerously as blue sparks flickered around his fingertips.

Furious, the blond started to glow a faint yellow. He went to unsheathe a weapon but Magnus waved a hand, slamming him face first into a wall. His head hit hard, a blood appearing at the boy's temple. Even if he owed Jace several times over, he could ill afford wasting his time and energy on such overt displays of power. There were more important things to do. He padded to his captive audience reminding himself not to be too happy the boy was injured. A flicker of gold danced above Jace's skin.

Magnus whispered in his ear. "I know exactly what you are too, you little Nephilim worm. The next time the Clave decides to kidnap and torture a healer, let it be one of your own. The warlocks will not stand for it any longer or ever again." His own blue flame danced against the gold angel fire. He gave Jace another slam before releasing him and the blond slid to the floor. "Now if you'll excuse me. I'm not here for you." He spun on his heel, not caring if Jace managed to gain his feet.

He glided down the corridor toward the sounds of voices. They got louder as he approached. Isabelle Lightwood stood just outside a closed door, clearly eavesdropping.

Her black eyes widened when she saw him. "Magnus..."

"Where is Alexander?" He asked, forcing his voice to stay calm, Izzy hadn't done anything to him, not yet anyway.

She looked at the door then back at Magnus like trapped animal. After a moment, she stepped aside.

"Clever girl." Magnus murmured before flinging the door open and making his way into the ensuing argument.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: Hi! As always thank you all for such amazing reviews! We love you! Here is the much anticipated argument! Enjoy! 3**

~Chapter Five~

Alec brought his fingers to his temple, vainly trying to ease his headache. His took a deep breath. _This is not worse than dying of demon poison,_ he reminded himself. He felt so unbearably tired even with all the excessive caffeine flowing through his veins. His body ached and complained from the abuse it suffered through so happily earlier, but Alec refused to let any regret touch him. Jace had banged on his door shortly after sunrise. Magnus slept obliviously through it all. Alec dragged himself out of his warm, happy cocoon and into the line of fire.

He had expected the news of the attack on the institute in London. Urgent, horrified messages passed between the different institutes around the world with the Clave. Emergency Action Plans were being implemented. Nephilim dispatched from Idris had orders to assist any Institutes low in numbers, that included New York. Anyone with information was ordered to come forward. Due to the nature of the attack, the popular assumption held that the werewolves and vampires were not responsible. Who had the kind of power to burn an institute to the ground? Demons? Fey? Warlocks?

As soon as the word warlock came up, Magnus's name passed through Jace's lips. Alec questioned his decision in a Parabatai some days more than others. All his protests fell on deaf ears. Just one word from Jace and his parents wanted him to be used as the scapegoat for the entire thing. Alec made a note to accidently shove Jace off the side of a building on the next mission. The Clave hadn't even started, nevermind completed, their investigation yet and his parents wanted to offer the man he loved as a sacrifice.

Alec knew what had happened. He felt a pang of guilt at not following orders and telling them. Something must have shown on his face, because his father directed Jace and Izzy out of the room. Alec closed his eyes and breathed, rubbing his temple. If he started to question the integrity of the Clave, or the London Institute, it would not go well. One battle at a time.

Six hours later, leaning over the back of a chair, refusing to sit, Alec was no closer to convincing his family to _wait for the damn report_ or securing his boyfriend's innocence. He didn't even know if the warlock was safely out of the Institute yet. "Magnus holds a seat on the Council. You cannot just arrest and execute him without proof or a trial. It's against the Accords."

"I've known Magnus Bane since before you were born. He has never done anything for the Clave that didn't benefit him somehow." Maryse Lightwood said in a calm and subdued voice. Her long black hair coiled at the top of her head. It pulled her features tight, pinching like she'd tasted something foul. "That entire move may have been a de Quincy act."

"Really?" Alec fought the urge to roll his eyes. "And his involvement in the battle against Valentine? And Sebastian?"

"Is suspicious in its own right." Robert Lightwood sat stiffly at the head of the table. His beard contained more gray in it then before his time in Idris. Losing his campaign for Inquisitor made him a harder, colder man. He watched Alec with his baleful, brown eyes. "I've never known a warlock to exhibit such willingness to align with one side or another. Not without receiving a _substantial_ stipend."

Alec couldn't help the blush that crept into his cheeks at the insinuation. In the back of his mind, the part that questioned everything he did, he wondered if his virginity counted as this 'substantial stipend' his father hinted at. He wondered if Magnus had awakened yet. With no one to rouse him, he could very well sleep late into the afternoon. Which meant he had to continue to stall until he was sure. Eight, nine more hours until sun-down? "What do you think was his payment? He almost died." He swallowed thickly, remembering that split second of excruciating panic when he saw Magnus on the ground seeping blood.

"Magnus Bane is a High Warlock." His father answered voice tight and unrelenting, as if that statement overruled all other argument. "He doesn't need justification. Monsters like him are capable of disasters like London. We will pull from him the reason for this traitorous act."

Alec replied hotly, "He is not a- We don't know if he- Just because he's a warlock doesn't automatically condemn him. All warlocks dangerous, we haven't even touched on how powerful they actually are. It's ignorant of us to assume the warlocks are content being ruled by us. Most of them are older than the Accords."

"All the more reason to send him to the Clave," His mother said, clearly ready to wipe her hands clean of the entire situation. "Let them make a ruling as they see fit."

Alec wanted to thump his head on the table. "You both have made up your minds without evidence. The Clave will be no different. By all means, break the Accords. Don't expect me to help you."

"Do not be flippant with me, young man." Robert scolded him.

"You are not paying attention. You have no evidence," Alec said for the two hundredth time. "We don't know what happened. You cannot just arrest and imprison someone because you don't like his heritage! Or Jace and Clary would already be locked up!" His heart began to beat faster, harder. He couldn't let his parents summon the Clave, not with Magnus still inside the Institute. High Warlock or not, without his personal wards to protect him he would be seized and imprisoned on sight. He couldn't bear that happening, not when he'd just gotten him back.

"Even if he was not directly involved, Magnus will need to be questioned. If it comes to light that he had any indication that this would happen and didn't report it, that makes him a conspirator." Robert added, almost smug in his resolve.

Setting his jaw, Alec stood his ground. "I am not saying don't talk to him. I am saying that if you summon the Clave I will not sit back and allow you to hand him over like a criminal." _That he technically is..._

His father leaned forward on the table. "As a member of this household you are under sworn obligation to support the decisions of the Head of the Institute."

"As a Nephilim I am sworn to uphold the code of honor established by the Angel Raziel." Alec enunciated just as coolly. "The Law is hard, but it is the Law."

Sitting back, Robert regarded his son with a hostility Alec never grew accustomed to. After a long moment he took a deep breath and leaned closer. His voice came out low and dangerous. "I will send you to the Silent Brothers. They will dig through that insolent head of yours and remove the foolishness you feel for that downworlder and replace it with the revulsion he deserves."

The door to the study suddenly flew open on its own accord. Magnus stalked in, eyes flashing dangerously. In dark pink pants and a leather t-shirt, and silver-pink glitter, the man managed to pull of dangerous and sexy and contempt with aplomb. "Goodness. I thought we'd moved past the exploitation of power for the sake of differences of opinion."

Startled, Alec whorled around to face him. "Magnus!"

The warlock put a hand on Alec's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He looked back to the man at the table. He tone was casual, "Tyranny has turned you gray, Mr. Lightwood."

Rising slowly from his chair, Robert Lightwood regarded the warlock with the contempt only a self-righteous half-angel could manage. "Magnus Bane. How dare you in intrude on Clave business."

"As a member of your silly council," Magnus waved his hand with an exaggerated flourish. "I am within my rights to demand to be present."

"You have no privileges under my roof. You are in violation of the Accords by being on sacred ground without invitation."

"Magnus is here on my invitation." Alec supplied. He slid closer to Magnus to press his hand to the small of the Warlock's back, signaling for him to be careful and quiet.

"Yours?" His mother gave him a reproachful look. She gave an imperceptible nod in his direction. "Mr. Bane, you understand that while Alexander may grant you entrance to the Institute that does not give you the freedom to wander about unescorted."

Alec gave Magnus a little tug toward the open door. "We're leaving anyway. This discussion has reached a stalemate."

Robert turned his attention back to his son. "We are not finished. Since he is here, the warlock can answer the Clave's questions. And you," He warned Alec. "If you continue to disregard our orders you will find yourself on the wrong side of the Mortal Sword."

"If you are righteous enough to wield it." He challenged taking a step towards him.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood." His father enunciated carefully, "You are dangerously close to treason."

Alec had fought against this enough. In a pique of fury, he opened his mouth and out it came. "What are you truly angry about, Father? The fact that Magnus is a warlock? Or the fact that I'm in love with him?"

Magnus stiffened beside him but said nothing. He keep his amber-green eyes locked on the eldest Lightwood as if waiting for him to make some kind of aggressive move. The power that pulsed from him warmed Alec's skin to an almost unbearable degree but he didn't move.

"I will not have any son of mine linked with a Downworlder! Especially a warlock!" His father spoke directly to Alec, ignoring his wife and the bristling warlock in question. "There is no future for a Shadowhunter and a warlock!"

Silence fell over the room. Regret crashed into him for the first time since he'd started arguing. Quietly, with bitter amusement, Alec said, "Then it's a good thing I'm not your son any more than isn't it?"

Magnus brushed Alec's hand, clenched in a fist at the small of his back.

"Alec!" His mother gasped, finally looking shaken for the first time that day. Her pale skin turned even whiter. She wasn't the most affectionate person, but she did love him and he knew that. It pained him to hurt her, but she chose her side, he would choose his.

Alec turned to her with an almost apologetic smile; it felt more strained than anything. "Do not be so surprised, Mother. You and I both know I haven't been his son since..." he tilted his head pretending to think. "Right, since he found out I was gay and he wasn't going to get any grandchildren with the Lightwood name."

Clenching his meaty fists, Robert's mouth formed a thin, white line. "If you choose to align yourself wi-"

Interrupting his father for the first time in his life Alec said. "Yes, I am through; yes, I understand the implications quite well. If the Clave wants to speak to me they can come find me." Grabbing hold of Magnus's sleeve he spun around and stalked out of the room, dragging the stunned warlock behind him.

Izzy jumped away from the door. "Alec!" She cried. "Where are you going?"

He met eyes with his sister and offered her a tight lipped smile that died in his anger before it even began. She'd stayed outside eavesdropping like she always did. She knew it all which left little more to say. "Bye, Izzy." He wanted to embrace her, tell her everything would be alright. But why lie to her? As a Shadowhunter, she knew what was going on and she'd have to make a decision for herself. Pecking her on the cheek Alec continued on down the corridor. He took a moment to consider bidding Jace a farewell but found he just too angry. Jace's mention of Magnus had started the whole mess.

He threw himself into the elevator and slammed the button for the ground floor. Magnus crowded in with him. The door closed just before Isabelle came hollering after them. Alec shrugged off Magnus's touch when he tried to put his arm around his shoulders. He needed air. His heart hammered wildly in his chest and his feet strained to move. He could hear the rush of blood pounding in his ears.

As soon as the bell chimed and the doors opened, Alec spilled out into the courtyard through the gates. The afternoon air felt cool against his heated skin. He sucked in the air in great heaves but it didn't seem enough. He tugged the blue scarf from his neck but that didn't seem to help either. The sun glowed bright and beautiful. Alec resented it, resented it for bringing this day into existence, resented it for being wonderful while his whole life crashed down around him. All he wanted to do was go back to that ridiculous hotel room with Magnus and pretend none of this happened.

"Alec!" Magnus called after him, keeping pace. "Alec, wait a moment!"

His legs continued on without any encouragement from Alec's conscious mind. He wanted to be as far from the Institute as physically possible. It dawned on him he left without his phone, his weapons, his clothes, or life of accumulated treasures; he had just his stele. He felt guilty for an unconscious moment before his mind reminded him he wouldn't need things. He had his memories, everything else could be replaced.

"Alexander!" Magnus grabbed his arm, forcing him around.

"Don't touch me!" He wrenched his arm away, staggering back a step and then another. He rubbed the heels of his hands in his eyes. Raking his fingers through his hair, it took him a few more heaving breaths to look at his boyfriend. "Please-"

"Alec." His hand dropped back to his side.

He didn't want to be comforted. He didn't want to be reassured. He didn't want to be anything at all. He felt like he was flying apart. Wrapping his arms around himself, Alec took another step back shaking his head. If he could just breathe...

"Darling-" Magnus tried again.

"They were going to hand you over to the Clave, do you know that? Like this whole damn thing was your fault."

Magnus smiled sadly. "Does that surprise you?"

"Yes." Alec punched the stone wall hard enough to hurt his hand. Still the anger wouldn't let him breath. "No. It..." He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes again. "Angel… this is fucked up. We have thirteen dead Nephilim, an Institute in ruins... and now my parents have disowned me."

"I doubt they actually mean it."

Alec let out an exasperated scoff. "Oh, my father can't even look at me anymore. My mother has been hanging on by a thread, just itching for a reason, you know? Add treason to my mounting list of crimes and they will strip my marks. I'll just be a-a-a-mundane." Hearing it out loud gave him a palpable taste of horror. A tremor ran through his body. He could lose his marks. He could lose what made him what he was.

"I won't let them." Magnus said, eyes flashing. He looked dangerous and eerily beautiful. A High Warlock capable of burning an entire Institute to the ground? He still couldn't see it. Not in his beautiful Magnus.

Pushing his hair back from his face, Alec shook his head. "No. I did not give up everything I am, everything I have... just to have you killed defending me. I am Nephilim. I have to answer to my people." His voice threatened to break.

Magnus studied him with steady eyes unblinking eyes.

Part of Alec wanted to throw himself at the warlock, hit him, scream at him, blame him for everything. But it wasn't Magnus's fault. Magnus did what he would have done. But that didn't mean Alec was ready to sit down and talk about it. "I need-I need to be alone."

Nodding, Magnus took a breath. "Alright." He snapped his fingers and a silver key fell into his hands. He tossed it to Alec who caught it on instinct. "But when you are ready…" he paused, eyes pleading with Alec. "Come home."

A gasp left Alec as the warlock disappeared in a puff of glitter and blue smoke. He resisted the urge to call after him. Home? Magnus said home. His legs trembled under his weight and he had the undesirable urge to fall to the ground in despair.

He forced himself forward on wobbling legs. He didn't know where he was going, and what he planned to do once he got there he just needed to move. The knowledge that at any time the Clave could come looking for him made standing still even for a second a nauseating idea. Could he just simply go and hide at Magnus's apartment? Wasn't that the first place they would look for him? Magnus would protect him no questions asked, but wasn't Magnus in enough trouble of his own? By the Angel. He'd gotten himself into such a mess. He had no idea how to get out of it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Welcome back! Here is the lovely Chapter Six for your reading pleasure. As always thank you for your continued support and reviews! PLEASE continue to review as my beta is addicted to them and won't be able to finish the upcoming BJ scene without encouragement!**

~Chapter Six~

"Tell me you are just a hallucination conjured up by my sleep-deprived brain." Magnus regarded the intruder with a dirty look. "And that you are not eating ramen on my couch."

Kale slurped a mouthful of salty noodles. "Dude… did you know your television doesn't work? It's not even plugged in; how the hell am I supposed to watch porn?"

Collapsing into his cranberry patina, leather armchair, Magnus studied him through narrowed eyes. "How did you get in here?" Finding his fellow warlock lounging in his apartment-eating his ramen-like he belonged there threw him for a loop. Nothing had triggered his senses or wards. That another magic wielder could be so close and remain undetected just proved how badly distracted he was. He couldn't show that kind of weakness, not to Kale. He wasn't exactly a world-class manipulator, but no one survived to a thousand by being careless, weak or stupid.

His blue eyed Nephilim required time alone to come to terms with this mess. Magnus accepted it without resentment, he could use some time to think on all this, too. Given the choice, he'd rather be roaming the streets with Alec thinking than alone in his apartment thinking, but clearly that option had sailed. Sometimes the likeness between Alec and Will Herondale unnerved him, though he'd never utter it. All he could do was wait and hope Alec's wanderings lead him back to him.

Kale waggled his eyebrows. "The master of the house let me in." He gestured to the little white fur ball poking his head from around the kitchen island's corner. He drew a long, curly noodle through his lips and smacked them. "'Sides, I never met a door I couldn't charm my way through."

Magnus gave Chairman Meow a scowl. "Traitorous feline… how quickly you turn against the hand that feeds you."

"Speaking of…" Kale leaned forward, placing his unfinished bowl on the coffee table. "You're out of food." He belched, throwing an arm across the back of the plush, leopard print sofa with a satisfied smirk. "I've been sitting here for hours, man, where the hell have you been?"

Magnus sighed. "Why are you here, Kale?" Best to get on with things, he thought.

"We…" Kale gestured between the two of them, "were supposed to have a meeting today, unless you forgot. Sage didn't mention anything about you hitting your head." He studied him a moment. "Dude, you do look like shit. That's not like you."

Normally, such a remark about his appearance would incur a wrathful diatribe. How dare he. Magnus Bane always looked marvelous, even in the depths of despair. However, Kale was correct, he did look awful and the man said it out of concern not harassment. "I told you to leave me out of whatever the Coven is conspiring." He replied, studying a chipping orange nail.

"You did." Kale answered, propping his dirty boots up onto the table. "You also said to stay away from your boy toy. Which request do you expect me to actually honor?"

Magnus dropped his cheek into his hand. "How naive of me to think you could hold two thoughts in your head at the same time." Drumming his finger on the arm of the chair, he regarded Kale with waning patience. "Well then, have at it, what madness has the Coven devised this time?"

Chairman Meow hopped up onto the coffee table. He regarded Magnus with his big yellow eyes, then Kale, his fluffy white tail swishing in thought. His Nibs climbed into Kale's lap, kneading his paws on his legs, turning around, and making himself comfortable.

Brightening, Kale scratched behind his ears eliciting purrs of pleasure. "Animals dig me."

"That's because you are one." Magnus drawled, ignoring the slight pang of hurt at his cat's second betrayal. He sniffed. He crossed one leg over the other. "Can we get on with this? I'd fancy a shower and something to eat. Perhaps even a nap."

"The Coven has decided that the Clave's dictatorship is over. It's time for the warlock's to take their place as the superior race." He paused, petting the ball of fur on his lap. "We want you to join us."

Magnus blinked at him then raised one curious eyebrow. "Why?" he questioned for lack of anything more enlightening to ask. "The Nephilim are arrogant little soldiers of God but they do serve a valuable purpose. It isn't like the warlocks are more trustworthy. And you don't like your father any more than I like mine. Would you really like to spend your eternity hunting them?" He waved a hand flippantly, "I have no interest in joining with the Coven for some ridiculous power play. I am quite comfortable being on the outskirts as I am."

"If only they'd go back to just hunting demons. And seriously, you can't be happy playing pet warlock to the Clave." Kale gave him a dubious look, "Come on, man, I taught you better than that."

"Surprisingly, being on good terms with the Clave has awarded me certain… liberties." Or they had, who knows what the Clave's investigation would do. His time of canoodling and party throwing might be over for a while. Months, even. "I do as I please. I conjure a spell or two upon request for a handsome sum, and for the most part, they leave me to my own devices." His involvement in the wars allowed him the opportunity to court Alec. That proved to be more work than originally planned, but well worth the extra effort. The Council seat gave him an excuse to go to Idris any time he wanted so if Alec were called there, he could appear without all that much fuss.

"More like they turn a blind eye to your fraternization with that Lightwood kid. He's got you wrapped around his little finger, does he?"

Magnus cast him a contemptuous eye. "You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, I understand. You go weak in the knees for a pair of baby blues. Always have. Newsflash buddy, he doesn't give a shit about you or about us. He'll be done with you as soon as you stop being useful to the Clave. I bet you didn't even tell him what happened last night, did you?"

"And you'd lose that bet. Of course I told him, he needed to know." Magnus couldn't fathom not telling Alec. He would never knowingly keep something of on this magnitude that clearly involved his lover to himself. Absolutely not. The warlock's involvement would hurt him, make him feel betrayed. That had to be explained and dealt with. Granted, it put Alec in an awful predicament, for that he was apologetic. Eventually it'll work itself out.

"I've been around the block a few times. I've known more Nephilim than you could count. I've seen the corruption and the hate destro-"

"So have I! Last time I checked we were finally making progress." Magnus huffed. "The Accords ring a bell?"

Kale made a sour face. "The Accords are a bunch of words on a page. Lies put into place to placate the downworlders into believing they have an equal right to live under the Law. If you paid attention the reparations don't ever help anyone but mundanes."

"So your solution is to challenge them for the throne? Now the Nephilim will be preparing for **war**. Since, they are an **army**. What the fuck were you thinking?! Why didn't we do that more subtly? Oh, that's right. Because you **can't**." Magnus ignored how much he sounded like an angry housewife after a drunken display at the company christmas party.

The room gave a shudder as Kale fixed him with a glare. "We made our statement. Accords or not, we had to show those little shits who we are."

"Oh!" Magnus flailed his hands. "The big bad warlocks are coming to huff and puff and blow your Institute down!"

Kale's lips curled. "So what did lover boy say, anyway? That we downworlders are getting too big for our britches? Wrath of God going to rain down upon us? Put us back in our place?"

Magnus sucked in a breath, flicking a glittery strand of hair from his face. "That _man_ listened to me tell him how we murdered his kinsmen in blind vengeance and burned their largest library in Europe to the ground. And he understood. _He understood_, Kale. Then, knowing what we did, knowing how completely involved I was, he _lied_. He betrayed his oath to protect me, to make sure I made it out of the Institute unscathed. He's lost his family and quite possibly his marks for it, now you tell me how many warlocks would do the same?"

Kale settled back against the couch. "Huh…" He considered the statement, looking slightly impressed. "Well, bet the Clave are pissing in their pants right about now. I'll be sure to give boy wonder props the next time I see him."

"You will speak not a word to him about any of this." Magnus warned him through clenched teeth. "In fact, get out. Go find a motel with beds that need quarters and leave us be."

"See, I'd like to, but this is the only place I can stay." He shrugged like it was no big deal. "This is the safest place for me, 'cause of your wards and all."

Squeezing the bridge of his nose, Magnus considered this. If Kale dropped his spells keeping his demon mark from coming out, it would shatter all the glass in a three mile radius, which was most of the city. Thousands would be dead from falling glass. At a busy time, it would be hundreds of thousands. Nevermind the small surges that escaped his personal wards on accident. Traffic lights could go out. Bad wiring could ignite. Weak, corroded iron could buckle and collapse buildings. And it would be his fault for giving it the chance to happen. Magnus hated being guilt tripped. "Why do you even need to stay at all? Go back to Canada. You hate the city."

"I do." He agreed, "But until this mess with the Coven is decided, I need to be here. So it would really be in your best interest, and in the interest of this fair city of yours, to at least come to the next meeting." The words sounded amicable enough.

"It's not like you to make idle threats." Magnus read through the lines with a sigh. _Desperate times... _He eyed his friend wearily. "I'll consider it... You can stay here, but only on three conditions."

"Three?" Kale raised a brow in amusement.

"Yes. Three." Magnus replied. He held up one glittering finger. "You will stay in the farthest guest room," he held up another, "You will refrain from destroying my belongings and property," he held up one more. "And lastly, most importantly, you will be on your best behavior around Alexander. _Meaning _you will do nothing to antagonize him. I take no responsibility for your welfare when he cracks your head open with a two-by-four."

Kale looked thoroughly entertained. "You are awfully concerned about me and your boyfriend… Scared I'm going to steal him?"

"It wouldn't be the first time." Magnus answered coldly. "Do we have a deal?"

Shrugging Kale smirked. "Sure. So when does our little angel cake arrive?"

Magnus stood and childishly seized Chairman Meow from Kale's lap. The cat made a disgruntled yowl at being disturbed from his warm bed. "That's none of your concern. Now if you'll excuse me." He strutted to his room with a snap and flourish Magnus Bane style.

Kale called out after him. "Hey! What about the TV?"

* * *

About midnight, Magnus heard the lock click. He rolled gracefully to his feet from his place on the couch. He spent his hours staring into the fire, thinking. He found for nearly the first time in a long time that he had no ready solutions for this problem.

His heart skipped a beat as his dark haired lover appeared in the doorway. With a sigh of immense relief, Magnus smiled. "Alexander." He greeted softly.

Alec took a hesitant step forward, biting his bottom lip looking adorably uncertain. "Um. Hi." His voice was quiet, subdued. He stood, shoulders hunched in the half light of the hallway. A day walking in the sun had not given his face any color. If anything, he looked paler, dark circles like bruises under glassy eyes. The mess of black hair made Magnus long to run his fingers through it. His blue scarf wrapped suspiciously around his right hand spotted with blood.

Magnus appraised him. "Are you feeling better?" Came the careful question, though he already knew the answer.

Alec stepped completely inside, letting the door close behind him as he dropped heavily against it. "I…" he licked his lips. "No." he answered miserably. "Not really. Just spent."

"Come here, darling?" Magnus extended a hand. The distance between them felt like a million miles, but he couldn't be the one to move closer. Alec had to see him as a refuge himself, half of a whole. Stronger together. One of Alec's more charming attributes was his adorable skittishness. He delighted in coaxing the younger man out of his shell.

It took a longer time than his boyfriend had hoped it would take, but he finally shuffled forward, biting his lip and keeping his eyes cast upon the floor. With his left hand, Alec tentatively took his.

"What happened here?" Gently, Magnus took his hand, eyeing the makeshift bandage.

A bashful smile crept onto the corners of his lips, flashing dimples that quickly disappeared. "I… punched a wall. A few times."

Carefully unwrapping the injury, Magnus sighed. Alec already etched an iratze healing the skin. He laid a kiss over the reddened knuckles, breath whispering over them making his boyfriend shiver. "My dear, rock-paper-scissors is a game. In real life stone always wins."

Alec ducked his head, coughed and mumbling something incoherently.

"What was that, darling?"

"I'm-I'm sorry."

"You're the one injured; I hardly think I'm the one to be apologized to." Magnus remarked. The injury was mostly gone, but he flared a glow of blue magic and sought broken connections to be put back together. This capillary joined with its other half, that torn skin reattached to its mate, and fractured knuckle bones mended whole. It warmed the cold hand as his power worked over it.

The rush of magic pulled a relieved moan from him. Alec swayed on his feet. Dropping his head to Magnus's shoulder, he took a deep breath. "I mean about before. If I hurt you. By going off alone, I'm sorry."

"You didn't." Magnus kissed the top his head, closing his eyes. He relished the embrace, tension draining. "You were just angry, darling. I understand." He breathed in the scent of Alec's hair, it smelled of sweat and city with just a hint of sandalwood shampoo. "It's going to be alright."

Alec stayed in place as Magnus rubbed his face over his hair then slid down the side of his face. "It's not going to be alright." He closed his eyes and took a deep, resigned breath, straightening to stand tall. He put on a brave act but his haunted blue eyes had yet to meet his gaze. Alec's voice dropped low and rough with emotion. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

Magnus offered him an apologetic smile before catching him under the chin and kissing him softly. A whisper of hot breath against pliant lips. He'd do anything to wipe that look of distress from his lover. "Tell me what you need."

Alec ran his fingers along the collarbone under the collar of Magnus's shirt. He pressed his lips together and then finally met the warlock's eyes. "You." He said finally. "I need you."

"You have me." He told him fiercely. Magnus tucked Alec's head under his chin. He closed his eyes and thanked whatever entity out in the universe brought Alec back to him. He wanted to whisper sweet nothings to Alec, to reassure him. But the man did not want comforting lies. Instead Magnus held him in comforting silence, nuzzling and kissing Alec's temple.

Alec buried his face in the warlock's neck, exhaling against his skin. With his cheek pressed to Magnus's shoulder he mumbled. "Why are the lights flickering?"

Magnus stiffened. The lights continued to pulse brighter and darker, brighter and darker. Damn Kale. He pet Alec's hair. "Darling, you look famished. Would you like a grilled cheese?"

Alec pulled back and made a face, turning a little green. He watched the lights distractedly before saying. "No." He looked around concerned. He could read the thought going through Alec's mind that something was amiss.

Magnus smoothed the crease lines across his boyfriend's forehead. "How about a little bowl of pasta, then? A hamburger from one of those mundane diners? Anything you'd like. You simply must have something darling, when did you last eat?"

"Mmm…yesterday?" He didn't sound interested in the slightest. "I'll eat tomorrow." He promised, patting Magnus distractedly on the chest. His eyes swept over the room once more before landing on Magnis. He gazed at him for a long moment, consideringly, a pensive frown on his face. Fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, he made a small distressed sound.

Magnus smiled, unsure. "Are you alright, angel?"

The look Alec gave him in that moment was so terribly vulnerable and open it made his heart ache with trust. "I just…" he began slowly. He glanced away before giving the most heart-wrenching, fearful confession. "Love you…" He swallowed hard. "You know that, don't you? I love you."

Cupping the precious boy's face in his hands, Magnus could not, or did he want to, prevent the sappy smile that spread across his face. He was pretty sure he glowed a bit. He kissed Alec's forehead, taking a moment to compose himself before he spoke so his voice emerged steady. "I do, sweet seraphim. I take to heart everything you say."

He breathed a nervous chuckle. "I should-say it more often."

Magnus's laugh was low, "I would be happy to get used to it." Giving small, light kisses along the side of his face, Magnus hummed with contentment. He claimed a kiss, moving his hands from Alec's face to his back, letting them slide down the smooth muscular back. They came to rest over his backside and he gave it a squeeze.

Alec jerked back from the kiss with a grunt of pain, grabbing his wrists.

Surprised, Magnus stumbled staring at him, concerned eyes asking the question for him.

Alec flushed and dropped his gaze. "Sorry." With self-conscious hesitation he mumbled, "Still... a little... sore…"

Magnus felt like Kale just plunged him into glacially cold water. He'd hurt him. He had hurt Alec and the stubborn little Nephilim didn't tell him how much. "You should have-Alec, you have to let me know these things."

Red-faced with embarrassment, Alec said to the floor. "It's fine, really… I've had far worse. I just can't…you know draw an iratze on myself. There." He winced at his own words. "That sounds rather pathetic, doesn't it?"

"No," Magnus pulled him into the bedroom, angry with himself. "It sounds like I need to take better care of you. I'm sorry, darling. Lie down and I'll fix it." He left Alec's side to dig through the bottles of oil in his bathroom cabinet. The man chastised his reflection, twice in one day. Alec was far from delicate, but that kind of rookie mistake was inexcusable. When he padded back to the room he noted with amusement that Alec had taken off his shirt and pants, rolled over onto his stomach, and buried his face in a pillow. Magnus dimmed the lights with a twitch of his fingers and joined his boyfriend on the bed.

"Alec?" He kissed his shoulder blade. "Are you awake darling?"

Alec made a muffled sound in the pillow but didn't move.

Leaning over Alec's back, Magnus pressed another kiss to the nape of his neck. He spilled the sweet smelling oil into his hands warming it. With a spark of healing magic, he dug his fingers into Alec's back. The Nephilim took a sharp breath but quickly relaxed, sinking down into the bed. Magnus coaxed the taut muscles with his talented fingers eliciting a moan. Healing magic pulsed softly down his back and into muscles and bones. Magnus hummed as he marveled at the intricately carved runes that adorned the hunter's skin. The fine white lines of scars long since healed. Deeper indentations of grievous wounds acquired and healed. All of the Nephilim had them and wore them with pride, mostly. They made Alec self-conscious; Magnus found them beautiful.

He brought his hands over the defined shoulders and the backs of his arms. Alec's muscles were lean and toned, still with the youthful thinness that would fill out in the next few years of manhood. Magnus found he remembered every inch of the body beneath him like a treasured artifact. Their night of lovemaking had transformed into a such passionate rush of need that it left room for little else. Like marveling at the contours of Alec's body, of the dip in his back, of the well-defined calf and thigh muscles that felt so good when they clenched around his waist. Magnus himself let out a little growl of appreciation.

He moved down the length of Alec's body and dipping his hands beneath the boxers and squeezing the muscles. An extra pulse of blue magic flared in his palms, causing Alec writhe with a cry of need that went straight to Magnus's core. He reminded himself this was about healing Alec, not molesting him. That was what got him in trouble in the first place. But if his lover kept moaning like that he would be forced to take his own matters into his hands.

Once the tight back muscles succumbed to his ministrations Alec melted into the bed with a relieved groan. He turned as pliant as a ragdoll. Magnus smiled, he leaned down to kiss Alec's hair. "How's that, darling?"

"By the Angel…" he breathed. "I forgot how good you were at that."

Magnus beamed at the compliment. He stared at Alec's back, wondering how much resistance he'd get if he decided to run his tongue along his spine. Alec looked so serene, so relaxed he simply didn't have it in him.

"I'll be right back." He slid off the bed to find a towel and clean his hands. When he turned back the shadowhunter had already fallen asleep. Climbing onto the bed once more, Magnus gathered Alec into his arms. He pulled the duvet up around them, kissing the boy on the head. "I love you." He murmured, but knew Alec would not hear him. He sighed contently and drifted off feeling as if everything was right in the world.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: As a heartfelt and tear induced thank you, we are posting Chapter Seven early. Please enjoy, and you can once again thank Clef for the amazing sex scene, I can't write them to save my life!**

~Chapter Seven~

Sticky lips pressed to Alec's forehead. "Wake up, sleepy head." The bed dipped under the weight of a body. Then the lips proceeded to kiss along his cheek and under his jaw. "I've been so very patient." The voice vibrated against his skin leaving the faint tickle of stubble.

Alec groaned, shifting under the covers. "No, g'way. 'M comfy." He grumbled, rolling over. Under no circumstance did he plan on leaving this bed any time soon, if at all. His entire body felt warm and loose. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so relaxed. Probably on that glorious vacation he spent with Magnus.

"I can make it worth your while." Magnus's lips promised as they ghosted over his shoulder blades. He hummed deep in his throat. A warm hand drifted down his spine.

Cracking his eyes open, Alec blinked blearily at the light filtering in from the window. "What time is it?" The bedside lamps were off. The morning hours must've sneaked by already. He scrubbed his face and rolled back over to look at his boyfriend.

Magnus slipped his arm under the duvet, his hand soft and warm against Alec's stomach. "Ohh… noon or so I think." He nipped at Alec's collar bone. "It's been terribly lonely.

Alec arced as the hand traveled up to tease his chest. "Has it?" He gasped. He tried to trap the wandering hand before it tickled him. Smiling wide, he kissed the palm. Twelve or so hours of sleep, it was positively shameful for a Shadowhunter to be out that long without an injury to explain it. But when Magnus smiled at him, he completely lost the ability to care about his reputation. "That's dreadful, darling." He teased, "What _does_ a warlock do to pass the time?"

"Ohh… this and that." Magnus flung his leg over the top of the blanket, trapping him. "Debauchery." He purred sending a ripple of sensation through Alec's body. "Then drink. And much despair that you were unable to join." He paused resting his chin against Alec's chest. "Did you dream of me?"

Magnus had already showered and dressed smelling faintly of sandalwood and citrus, his stiff hair shedding glitter on the pillow. He wore a casual light purple tank top with a comfy pair of tiger-print lounge pants. It seemed a little odd that he'd dressed at all if he was just planning to go back to bed. This was not an outfit he'd leave the apartment in. Considering the question, Alec gazed down at him with wonder that this amazing man looked at him with such love and desire.

How many nights did he dream of Magnus? Every one of them. "Why dream when I have the real thing right here?" He murmured, pulling him up to kiss the captivating warlock. His lips tasted of cherry lip gloss.

Magnus ground their hips together. His fading morning erection flared back to life at the sweet pressure. "Indeed." He bumped his nose against Alec's. "And what do you plan to do with me now that you have me?" His eyes sparkled with amusement but his voice low and husky.

"Oh…" Alec shifted; he lazily trailed his fingers along one well-defined cheek bone. "I can think of a few things." He explored the face of the man he loved. Angular and smooth, with long eyes under thick black eyebrows and he had cupid's bow shaped lips surrounded by a permanent five o'clock shadow. He felt like such a gangly, awkward teenager next to this beautiful creature. But when those amber-green eyes fixed on him like he was the most precious thing in the world, it made him think that maybe he could be. He turned the captured wrist kissing the warlock's fingers tenderly. Taking each one into his mouth to suck on for a moment, working up his courage.

"Do those things involve me getting you naked?" Magnus teased, rubbing his face against Alec's chest. "Because I would love to see you naked, touching yourself above me, covering me with your seed. I want to smear it all over your skin and lick it off until you're writhing and hard again." He added wistfully coy, "And you never got to pound me into your mattress."

Alec forgot how to breathe. Angel, the things that came out of that mouth. He became completely red-faced and painfully hard in that one instant. He just gaped at him, brain malfunctioning. "I—uh—y—you—I—and—yes—I—that—with—I—uh—" he sputtered.

"Baby, that cute, little innocent look on your face, all red and hot 'n bothered does me in." He could feel the truth of that grinding against his own erection.

A thought crossed his mind. Alec never considered himself particularly good at seduction. He had limited experience and was terribly out of practice. But Magnus was always so amazing, the expert lover in more ways than he could count. He wanted to prove that he deserved Magnus's attention and give as good as he got. So Alec did not fight the blush that spread across his face when he whispered harshly, "If you're good, maybe when I'm done we can do that, too. On your back. Lose the shirt."

His eyes turned molten gold with desire. In one swift motion the weight was gone and a tank top flew through the air. Treated to the sight of Magnus laying taut across his blue bedspread, ample manhood tenting his pants, it was like a picture from a magazine. There was a dip where he should have a belly button and a thin trail of black hair that went into his waistband.

Alec slid from the covers. Eyeing him appreciatively, he licked his lips. Straddling him carefully, Alec took his wrists and put his hands in the cut out spaces of the headboard. "Hold on to that? Don't want them getting in my way." He trailed his fingers over the arms as Magnus started to ask him something but he swallowed it into his kiss. Moaning into the kiss, he sucked the smooth wet muscle. It sent a thrill from the top of his head down to his toes. He laid a kiss on the chin, licking the salty, sweet skin.

The entire enterprise hinged on giving Magnus as much pleasure as he could. Sliding down Magnus's body, Alec left a trail of hot breath and sloppy kisses. He dragged the lounge pants off, unsurprised to find it the only layer he needed to remove. Spreading those long legs wide, Alec kneeled over him, leaned down, and licked joint over the hip bone.

"Ohhhhh," came the twitch of hips.

Alec let his hair brush against the erection, sucking on the thin skin beside it. He kept his mouth on the sensitive skin around the groin, moving from one side to the other. He loved the taste of Magnus's skin and marked it with bruising suction. He could the feel the muscles quiver as he gently bit down. Massaging his thighs, Alec brought his thumbs up to kneed the muscle and skin just underneath the ball sack three, four, five times.

"You _tease_," Magnus whined, bouncing his hips for more contact.

"Hmmmmm? What…?" With the most innocent look he could plaster on his face, Alec nuzzled and rubbed his red cheeks against the red cock. He nudged it with his nose and brushed his forehead against it, trying to imitate how Magnus keep trying to scent mark him like a cat. Licking the side of the shaft, Alec glanced up shyly from under his lashes.

Magnus stared down at him with slack-jawed, wanton desire. He made a tiny, piteous whimper. The High Warlock of Brooklyn. At a complete loss for words.

Alec's face split into a wide grin, dimples etched deeply into his cheeks. Alec had reduced him to this. "Have you lost your voice, warlock?" Without waiting for an answer, he licked side of the shaft again.

"No, sir!" He yelped. "Oh, god, yes, baby, please, do that again!"

With a wicked grin, he reached up to grab the massage oil and messily dumped it in his hands. Magnus tasted of salt and sweat and sweet. It was heaven.

The warlock echoed his groan.

Focusing on trying to get more sound from him, Alec pumped the shaft, sucking hard on the tip. A jerk and litany of pleading was his reward. Magnus writhed on the bed beneath his hand and mouth. Alec couldn't stop the please chuckle that vibrated through him. Extending his jaw he changed angle, swirling his tongue. He couldn't take all of him in his mouth, but he certainly tried.

"Oh, sweet seraphim—!" With his head thrown back, Magnus glistened with sweat, mouth parted in a half-smile, gripping the headboard with white knuckles.

Nudging the entrance to his ass, Alec massaged it with a knuckle. He pushed in one finger and noted the change in speed in his breathing. He fought not to gag as Magnus thrust back and forth against his finger, begging for more. He pulled away to breathe before adding a second finger. His attempt to sound innocent failed due to his voice turning raspy with use."You like that, baby?"

Body flushed with excitement, need begging in his eyes, Magnus let out keening plea for mercy.

Alec skipped a step, and when back down, plunging the rest of his hand in, knowing the right angle to get-

"OH MY GOD. ALEC, BABY, YES."

Alec catalogued the picture definition of the throws of passion because nothing captured elemental desire like Magnus. Lust-blown pupils shined green and gold. His mouth half open between a smile and a gasp and a scream. Caramel skin glistened without any need for glitter. Black hair a wild mess that was covered in glitter gel. Baritone voice crying the most insane, sexy demands. He almost caved in to spill his semen on him, but Alec had other plans.

It strained his muscles to do it, but Alec made a thrust and catch rhythm, fisting into his prostate and bumping away from his own gag reflex before choking. He ran into Magnus as hard and fast as he could take in return. The screaming was music in that velvety voice. He sucked and thrust and forgot himself. So intent on the the taste and rhythm, he missed the thighs around him quiver and suddenly Magnus erupted with a shout.

He gagged, not ready for it. After a shove and cough, the white stream splashed on his face and in his hair, but at least he could breathe. The thick, white liquid showered the two of them. Magnus lay convulsing and twitching around his hand, panting hard.

Alec pulled out, wiping at the semen with his other hand. He'd been doing so well. He stared at the proof of his work on his hand, Magnus's thigh and stomach. It was not supposed to… He squeezed his eyes shut; humiliation burning his face. He slid off the bed to the towel discarded on the floor and started wiping himself clean.

Behind him, Magnus lay gasping like a fish out of water. "Oh… that was…" his voice hoarse from screaming. "Oh, god, baby, that was…" He never finished the sentence.

Alec finished it in his mind for him. That was failure to swallow properly attempt #7. _Stupid books make it sound so easy._ He felt like such a miserable failure. He wanted to crawl under the bed and hide.

At the extended silence, a query from the bed came softly. "Darling? You…still here?"

He froze. Alec did not want to look at Magnus yet. He didn't think he could take the look of disappointment. Slowly lifting his head, he turned toward Magnus without actually looking at him.

"Baby, what's wrong? Come here." There was a small hint of panic filtering into the haze left over from his orgasm. "I can't move, Alec, you are going to have to come here."

He coughed again, humiliation burning on his face. "I'm sorry. I can't… even give a blow job right."

"Look at me, Alexander."

It took a few tries, but his eyes eventually he glanced at the man and froze staring.

Magnus lay spread eagle on the bed, covered in a sexy sheen of sweat. He had a delirious, pleased smile. Glitter covered the pillow and his face. His cat eyes had that well fucked contented gleam and lazy blink. Semen decorated his thighs and stomach. "Baby, you made me come so hard; I can't move. Literally. So please come here and put my arms around you. I seem to have been reduced to a sexed-out immovable lump by the most amazing blow job my gorgeous boyfriend just gave me. Really, who have you been practicing on? Had I the energy to be jealous, I would kill them."

"What? I would never—" _Cheat on you, even though we weren't together. _"I mean I haven't—I just—read—a book." He finished lamely. Alec was certain he'd be red-faced for the rest of the day.

"My darling Alexander, I cannot move. Please come here." Maybe he truly couldn't move, because all he did was give Alec the most piteous, lonely look.

He couldn't deny the man anything. Alec slid closer.

Magnus raises his eyebrow expectantly. When Alec didn't move he prompted, "Arms."

Nervously laughing, blushing again, he brought the man's arms around his waist and laid next to him. Cooling from their exertion, he could see the goose bumps rising in the caramel skin. Alec tugged the comforter around them.

"That's better." Alec could hear the smile in his tired words. They laid there for a long while, wrapped in each other's arms. Magnus might have dozed briefly. Slowly, after Alec had untensed and molded himself to his side, the man took a deep breath. "Can we talk about what's wrong, Alec? About the spell and Camille and you crashing after sex? Please?"

Alec went completely still where he lay. He couldn't identify why he was so terrified at that moment. He did not want to have this conversation. It was so much easier focusing on everyone else's problems. _Save the world? No problem. Talk about myself? I'd rather be stabbed._

"Alec, I thought there was nothing we couldn't face together?"

"Together," _Right, Angel, please let that be true._ His voice dropped to a harsh whisper. "Right. Together, you promise?"

"With all my heart and soul," Magnus answered without hesitation. He stared down, amber-green eyes filled with concern. "What could you have believed that made you want to even try such a spell?" He cupped his face, running a thumb over a cheek bone.

Alec swallowed the lump in his throat. "You are going to live forever, Magnus. When I think about how much time is to come and…how much has already passed… I…" That wasn't quite right. He tried again, "Nothing I do has any meaning. There's no permanence to it, except you. I'm not even a ripple… I couldn't stand it. The idea that in two, three hundred years… you won't even remember me; I'd be nothing to you too—"

"You are everything to me." Magnus's lips proceeded to cover every available inch of his skin with sweet, chaste kisses. "You will never be nothing, Alec. You are not trivial. You are important. You are my heart walking the earth outside my body. I— …I don't think about the future if I can help it, sweetheart; it's too much. Too long. Too painful. I stay in the moment. Here and now. And now is beautiful because I have you. Do you want me to plan for the future with you? I will try, but I can't decide what I want to do this afternoon; I'm not built that way."

"I know." Alec gave him a watery smile, interrupting. "I love you spontaneous as you are. You don't bother thinking, you just assume it'll work out somehow." He meant it kindly, Alec had never been able to throw caution to the wind. The was Jace's personality.

He laughed, a self-conscious smile on his face. "You make me sound so air-headed.

Startled, Alec laughed and opened his mouth to protest his intent.

"No, no, I'm not offended. It's just I've never cared if I was rich or poor or right or wrong or the state of the world or really about anything but being happy. You make me happy. I would make you happy, if you'd allow yourself to be."

Nervous again, Alec chewed his lower lip. He did not know how to explain how unworthy he was of that. Or if he should. "Camille said relationships survived on mystery." If he explained, would Magnus eventually grow bored?

"That's a load of bullshit." The warlock snorted contemptibly. "Relationships survive on respect. Mystery and keeping secrets is control. She said that to isolate you, give you half-truths and twist what you think to her destructive machinations. There was some mundane study or something about abusive psychology and what did they call it? Brainwashing? Molding? Some kind of control technique. She was very controlling, I remember. Just, take everything she ever told you and throw it out, baby, please."

"You won't get bored with me?" He continued to gnaw at his bottom lip. "You want me to… tell you, I guess, everything?" His parents didn't work that way, but then his parents also had a very strained relationship. Infidelity will do that to a couple, he supposed.

"The romantic in me wants to say, yes, tell me everything. Always talk to me, I love the sound of your voice, Alec. You can read me the dictionary if you want. Hell, I might even learn something." The smile on his face was gentle and solemn. "But the truth is this: I need you to tell me the important things. Like if I hurt you during sex or if your sister is injured and you need to go to her or you need space to process something or if you need me to do something for you emotionally—like affection or reassurance—or something physical—like being allergic to Brussels sprouts or giving you orders really turns you on. That I _need_, baby. Don't hide from me what you need, please. Otherwise I can't give it to you, I won't know you need it."

He nodded, awkward again and feeling vaguely guilty. It made sense. The warlock was many things, but mind reader was not on that list. "So, not mysterious?" He asked in a small voice.

"I don't want to spend our relationship second guessing myself and worrying that you won't like something and just aren't telling me. So, no. I do not want a mysterious stranger. I want you to be Alec. I want Alec." He leaned down to brush his lips over his forehead. "And you can tell me whatever you want to tell me. I want you to tell me whatever you feel comfortable telling me."

Alec melted against the body, molding to fit every plain and contour. The ache in his heart collapsed, gushing a profound sense of joy. It was like the carpet ride they'd taken over Istanbul. The wind rushing, dipping down and soaring towards the sun, they played through the skyline and watched the blur of colors shine for them. There had been nothing in the world but Magnus. He leaned up and laid a tender kiss on the man.

It stayed gentle and loving. Arms wrapping around him, Magnus threaded his hand into matted black hair. He explored with affection, probing lightly. The kind of sweet kiss that made Alec dizzy with love. It was so soft he wanted to cry. Holding the back of his head, Magnus turned them over. He seemed devoted to worshipping his lips. Leisurely pulling sighs and humming in pleasure as he crushed their lips together. Nipping at his throat Magnus sealed his lips over the hollow of Alec's throat, bruising the flesh.

A moan escaped. God, that felt perfect.

"If I kiss you and jack you off, you're not going to crash and feel guilty again, are you?" His concerned face hovered above, hand halfway down his underwear.

Flushing red from shame, Alec bit his lip. "I'm sorry I gagged. I know I'm not very good, I'll practice to get better—"

Magnus cut him off with a belly laugh that made tears stream down his face. "Oh, baby, it took me twenty minutes to recover enough to move an inch to kiss you. If you get any better I'm going to need a doctor to revive me every time your lips touch my cock."

Ducking his head, the red spread through his entire face as he tried not to be too proud.

"Oh, no, no, no, be as smug as you want, darling. You can suck on any part of me any time you'd like." Magnus said, still laughing. He looked enticed at the idea.

He gave a weak attempt at slapping the older man on the shoulder in chastisement. Reading the arousal in Alec's eyes, Magnus's fingers snuck under the waistband of his boxers.

A loud clang from the kitchen made Alec jump.

Magnus cursed.

"What was that?" Alec sat up, tugging the warlock's hand away. The room gave a little shudder, floor boards groaning.

"That was the cat?" Magnus offered, raising an eyebrow like he hoped Alec believed him.

The light bulbs from the bedside lamps shattered, raining fragments everywhere. Alec attempted to protect them with the duvet, only a little blood being drawn. The radio in the corner turned on, filling the room with static as the dial traveled through the stations of its own accord.

Magnus slumped his shoulders like it pained him. He muttered something unflattering about the heritage of meddlesome, Canadian warlocks.

Alec's eyes widened. "Is that Kale?" The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

Magnus winced offering him an apologetic smile. "Yes?"

Alec scrambled off the bed, failing at dodging the broken glass. "Ow. Fuck. Has he been here this whole time?" He sat heavily back on the bed and plucked out what glass he could. Planning an iratze or two later, he crawled off the foot of the bed to a glass-free area and searched the piles of clothes. He lamented, "Damn it, I don't have any weapons."

Magnus remained on the bed, watching him with an amused expression. "Darling, what exactly do you plan on doing?"

Alec grabbed the first pair of black pants he could find and struggled into them. "I'm going to put his head on a silver platter and bring it to the Clave. Then toss the rest of him into," His foot caught and he toppled over with a yell. "…the East River!"

Magnus pulled him back to his feet. "That might prove to be more of a challenge than you expect." He smiled still terribly amused. "He's indestructible."

"No one is indestructible. Not even Jace. Once you get past the magical wards warlocks are just as susceptible to injuries as we are. Besides, I'll knock him out first." Alec explained, still wrestling with the pants. "I'd use an angelic blade if I had one... what about a hacksaw? You have one of those right?" He stopped abruptly, a sudden thought putting a cross, annoyed look on his face. "He's not one of those regenerating warlocks, is he? God, what a nuisance. I'd need to torch then, don't want him worming himself back together."

Pressing his lips together, Magnus dropped his chin onto a hand.

"I don't know if the Clave will believe me if I don't bring back proof…" He stopped himself feeling suddenly sick. Could he take a trophy? Would he really consider such a thing? He glanced up at Magnus.

"Darling?"

"Why is he here anyway? You saved Catarina."

Surprised by his sudden change of subject, Magnus frowned. "The warlock Coven is gathering. It happens every hundred years or so, I try to stay out of these things. But Kale needed a place to stay until it's over; these things sometimes take weeks. So I graciously told him he could stay with us."

Alec's stomach dropped. _The warlocks are gathering? Could the Clave have captured Catarina because of a tip-off?_ He shook his head, shaking away the thoughts. No. It wasn't like downworlders didn't meet in groups all the time. Werewolves had packs. Vampires had coteries. Of course warlocks would have their coven meetings. Right?

"It won't be so bad." Magnus mistook his silence for worry about the warlock. "He's promised to be on his best behavior, you won't even know he's here."

Raising an eyebrow Alec side glanced at Magnus's antique lamps and the shredded ruin of their shades. He sighed. "It's your apartment, Magnus. You can have anyone you want stay here." He glared at the pants low slung on his hips. They were uncomfortably tight. "These aren't mine."

The warlock cleared his throat. "No… They certainly are not." He slid off the bed with a sultry smile, appraising Alec like he was some piece of art. "However." His voice dropped. "I do love how they look on you."

Alec flushed. "W-where are my clothes?" Remembering exactly why he never wore form fitting clothing. He needed to move and they constricted him in the worse places. They also showed every line and bulge on his body and with Magnus around it would be indecent.

"In the wash?" He smiled. "Don't worry, darling. I can find you something to wear until we can get to the store."

"Why can't I wear what I have?"

Magnus made a pained sound. "Oh. Sweetheart." He pulled Alec to him and smoothed his hair. "Because you have a boyfriend who wants nothing more than to embellish you in all the finest clothing New York has to offer. Why would you insist on wearing such unbecoming clothes?"

"I need to function?" Came his terse reply. How could Magnus not understand this? How did he expect to fight in pants he couldn't even bend over in? Realization hit him. Alec sighed in defeat. "I'm not getting my clothes back, am I?"

"Already in the compactor." Magnus answered with more glee than strictly appropriate. He released Alec and padded over to his closet, still naked much to Alec's appreciation. He sorted through several items before settling on a black tank top with the I heart NYC on it, it looked like it would barely cover his navel. He held it out to Alec.

Alec's eyes widened. "Oh no. You can't be serious." He shook his head vehemently.

"I'm always serious when it comes to fashion." Magnus lovingly smoothed the shirt onto the bed. "Why don't you go get cleaned up and I will find you a few more things, darling." He kissed his forehead, reaching down to pat his leather clad behind. "I will have something for you to eat, too."

"But what about Kale?"

Magnus kissed his lips. "We can discuss his impending beheading later." He moved towards the door and stopped when Alec cleared his throat. "Oh." He snapped himself a long robe and winked at him. "Don't take too long. I need a shower after all that, too. And leaving you alone with Kale for any length of time…" Magnus actually turned pale. "Would be bad."

* * *

Alec stared at his reflection with distaste. He took the fastest shower known to mankind and then faced Magnus's selection of chosen clothing. Balking at the brightly colored choices of neon pants or neon shirts, he somehow squeezed back into the black leather pants. He had been right about the shirt; it decorated his chest more than covered it, leaving a wide path of pale skin between its hem and the top of the pants. Biting his lip, he wondered if Magnus would take pity on him if he begged for something else dark colored to wear. And warm. The warlock wouldn't be that cruel would he?

With a dejected sigh, Alec emerged from the bedroom. He caught sight of Chairman Meow waiting patiently by the door. The tiny puff of fur wove between his legs. He meowed softly, demanding attention. Big, luminous yellow eyes blinks up at him from a fluffy face and Alec reminded himself to be tougher against the cuteness later. For now, scooping the cat up in his arms, he smiled. "Hey there, Mao." He murmured, scratching him behind the ears.

The Chairman purred enthusiastically, bumping his head against Alec's face. It reminded him of Magnus. His fur was as soft as he remembered, especially the little white belly.

"I missed you, too." Alec whispered, carrying the tiny white cat with him as he entered the kitchen. He set him down in front of his food and water dish, hoping the backside of his pants wouldn't rip with the movement.

Kale and Magnus sat at the table. Magnus immediately brightened like he hadn't just seen Alec twenty minutes ago. "There you are, darling!"

Kale saluted him with his Styrofoam coffee cup. "Nice outfit."

Plopping down in the chair next to Magnus, he ignored the other warlock. He eyed the lavish display of food spread about the table. There were plates of eggs, bacon, pancakes, donuts, Danishes, quiche, and fruit.

Smiling, Magnus said. "I wasn't sure what you had a taste for."

"So you stole a diner?"

"Hurry up and pick something, I'm starving." Kale snorted. He looked much like the homeless man he did the last time Alec saw him, only with stubble. Faded t-shirt, ragged looking jeans, and scuffed boots seemed to be his entire wardrobe. Alec almost asked him for a whole shirt, but he was wary Kale would take his off right at the table. He wasn't that cold.

Magnus picked up a piece of crispy bacon and held it up to Alec. "Say ah."

Alec eyed him apprehensively. What had he said earlier? He could suck on any part of him at any time he wanted? Feeling bold, he ignored Kale's eyes curiously watching them. Leaning forward he bit down on the offered piece of pork, tasting it. "Mmm." He took the rest of it in his mouth, tongue darting over Magnus's fingers.

Magnus's eyes widened. His entire face shifted from surprised to yearning. He grabbed a piece of fruit. The corner of his lips twitched up. Dipping it into the dollop of whipped cream on the side of the plate, he held that out to Alec.

Rolling his eyes affectionately, Alec flushed as he accepted the offering. He licked the remaining cream off those long fingers, smiling at Magnus. He rolled his tongue over and around the digit eliciting a guttural moan from the warlock.

Need filled his amber-green eyes, mouth dropping open in a small oh of desire. A little overzealous, Magnus retrieved the entire plate of fruit. He sprayed more whipped cream over it and stole himself a strawberry before presenting one to Alec. The grinning warlock dotted him on the cheek with a bit of the whipped cream. "Oh dear, look what I've done." He didn't sound guilty at all.

Alec gave a throaty laugh, cheeks tinting pink.

"Allow me." Magnus purred. He leaned forward and licked his face clean. Alec shivered at the cold brush of lips but smiled hunching in on himself. He turned his face, unable to hold back the smile.

Magnus kissed the side of his mouth. "Have I ever told you how much I adore your dimples?" He asked, kissing the other side as well. "You need to smile more, darling."

"Oh come on!" Kale scoffed, the table vibrating in his irritation. "Get a room already!"

With an extremely satisfied blush, Alec pulled away. Biting his lip, he reveled in the single-minded attention only a little uncomfortable at the audience. It overwhelmed him, realizing how much of the affection and closeness he'd missed. The little looks or comments about a show Magnus wanted to take him to or finding a cup of coffee just how he liked it on the bathroom counter when he came out of the shower. Stupid little gestures of affection. He stole Magnus's coffee cup and took a sip, turning away so he wouldn't see his eyes water. It was sweeter than his liking, but he enjoyed it just the same.

"We do have room. " Magnus said, eyeing Kale. "You aren't supposed to be here, remember?"

Kale sat up a little straighter. "Touché." But he actually seemed pleased.

Alec grabbed a fork and before Magnus could continue feeding him, he pulled the plate piled with pancakes near. Now that he thought about it, he was starving. He hadn't eaten at all yesterday. All he remembered was coffee.

Resting his arm on the back of Alec's chair Magnus watched him eat. A gentle smile plastered over his face. When Kale's hand reached out to claim a cherry Danish he smacked it away. "Not for you."

"He ain't gonna eat all that!" Kale eyed Alec. "Tell him!"

He had no intention of eating everything on the table. But he felt petty enough to not throw Kale any bones. He placidly ignored the man. "May I have some maple syrup?" He asked Magnus politely.

Magnus beamed, then with a snap of his fingers a bottle of Vermont maple syrup appeared in front of him. He poured a liberal amount of the sugary substance over Alec's pancakes. "There you are, darling."

"Thank you." Alec replied sweetly, giving Kale a side eye before digging into his food. "This is delicious." He was going to regret all this sugar later, but for now, the buzz was quite pleasant.

Magnus kissed his cheek, thoroughly pleased with himself. He retrieved his coffee cup bringing it to his lips. "Eat as much as you like, sweetheart."

"The service around here sucks." A bottle of scotch appeared before Kale and he dumped several fingers worth into his cup. He eyed the hickies on Alec's neck and chest. Directing the question at Magnus, he asked. "I take it you enjoyed your angel cake this morning? I could think of a few more things you could do with all this whipped cream."

Alec almost choked on a piece of pancake. Magnus slid a glass of water before him and chucked a Danish at Kale's head.

"Finally!" He caught it with a flourish. He took a long sip of his whiskey, biting into the flaky pastry with a moan of pleasure. "This is good stuff." He garbled, mouth full.

Before Magnus could respond the door buzzer echoed through the apartment. The warlock cocked his head, puzzled.

"Expecting someone?" Alec asked him. Slightly miffed his warlock intended to actually work today, he stuffed down the urge to pout. Shadowhunters did not pout.

"No." Magnus flicked his thumb in Kale's direction. "Go see who it is."

"Why me?" Kale demanded. "I'm the guest here!"

Alec stuffed the last bite of his pancakes into his mouth before standing. "I'll get it."

"You most certainly will not." Magnus pushed him back down into his chair. He kissed the top of his head. "Finish eating, darling." He snapped at Kale. "You. Come with me."

Kale muttered something about where Magnus could stick his self-righteous self, glitter included, but got up anyway.

Alec sighed and watched as the two warlocks' left the room, bickering at each other like siblings. He suddenly felt nostalgic for his own family. He resisted the urge to lay his head down on his arm and give into the feeling of loss. They weren't gone. He'd just had a fight with his parents. That happens, in other families. Right? Instead he pushed some scrambled eggs around a plate. His hunger dissipated and now he felt sick.

Chairman Meow brushed against his leg, mewing softly. Alec blinked down at him. "Are you hungry?" He eyed the table thoughtfully before cutting a small piece off of a sausage. He offered it to the cat.

The fur ball sniffed it at first, swished his tail in consideration, and then took it from Alec's fingers.

Alec smiled at him.

"THE HIGH WARLOCK OF BROOKLYN TAKES NO INTERRUPTIONS. COME BACK TOMORROW." Magnus yelled into the intercom.

"A woman will grow old and feeble waiting for the High Warlock of Brooklyn to stop preening in the mirror and visit! Open the door!"

"Catarina!" Magnus's startled voice carried into the room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I am soooooo sorry this update took so long! We had a serious plot issue to work out and had to make sure this was all still usable! Talk about panic! Anyways, updates should be pretty regular after this. Special Thanks to Clef, my beta/editor/co-author without whom we would not have this amazing story. As always thank you for reading and please please review!  
**

~Chapter Eight~

Magnus was ecstatic to see Catarina. Her blue skin looked vibrant and healthy. The disconcerting blankness in her eyes from whatever drug they injecting her with had gone. Her long white hair gleamed behind her tied in a loose rope. Even her pink nurse scrubs and purse radiated with well being. It could've been the smiling sun, but Magnus wouldn't complain. Not with visions of her from two nights ago still vivid in his mind. Grinning ear to ear he swooped down to envelop her in a hug, picking her up. They laughed together as he spun her around the room.

"Dearest Catarina," He inhaled deeply. She smelled like honeysuckle. "You are well again."

"Aye, alive and well." She laid a kiss on his cheek and then slapped him on the arm, hard. "Thankfully I wasn't waiting on _you_ to heal me." She turned her gaze from him to Kale, who stood suspiciously silent. Catarina affixed a foreboding glare, put her hands on her hips and Magnus knew they were in for it. Womanly wrath. Best to stare at the ground, apologize repeatedly and hope someone could duck out for chocolate and flowers. Maybe he could send Alec; he had a sister he must know how to placate them at least a little bit? They had saved her life, wasn't that worth something? "I suppose you are the mastermind behind that little fiasco of a rescue mission."

Kale did the wrong thing and grinned. "Recognize my handiwork, eh?"

She pulled a newspaper from her large purse and smacked him with it several times. Catarina was not a very strong woman when compared to the moose Kale normally wrestled with, but he winced and covered his head, whining while she berated him all the same. "Only—the—High—Warlock—of—Canada—could—cave—in—a—m etro—from—a—hiccup! You killed people! Hundreds! And hundreds more were hurt!" She threw the newspaper at him. "I don't want you to kill people for me!"

Magnus understood her anger now. Bad enough they had killed the Nephilim, but add in innocent Londoners? Catarina devoted her life to helping people. She was entirely grateful, just upset at the death toll. She had a greater conscience than Magnus ever had. All he could offer was an apologetic smile and shrug.

Kale's grin widened as he read over the paper, he waved it at Magnus with contemptuous glee. "We made the news!"

"Thankfully it was the middle of the night and most were off the streets." Catarina collapsed onto his couch with a deep sigh. "Asleep in their beds when the earthquake struck. And collapsed their homes."

"You'd think they never dealt with a natural disaster before." There was a brief moment where Magnus wondered if Kale's isolation in Canada had done irrevocable damage to his ability to care about other living things but then, he'd always been this way.

"There was nothing natural about it!" Catarina snapped. "What were you thinking? Throwing your power around like that?"

"I was thinking _those filthy Nephilim thugs kidnapped a friend of mine and I was gonna make them pay_!" A thread of anger wove through Kale's riposte. It brought surge of gravity that threatened to bring Magnus to his knees.

Snatching the paper, Magnus unfolded it and set fire to it with a whispered word. "Don't tell Alec about this."

A scoff made all three of their heads swivel to the kitchen doorway. Alec stood there, Chairman Meow peering curiously through his legs. He'd added his blue scarf to cover the hickey on his neck. And possibly warmth, the tank top was more a suggestion than an actual shirt. Not that Magnus hadn't planned that, being the only dark thing in the pile of offerings, he just wanted to stare at that beautiful skin as much as he could.

"Alec!" Magnus forced a smile. "Darling. How long have you been standing there?"

"Your apartment is not soundproof," he studied the three warlocks from the doorway. Magnus watched several disgruntled thoughts of varying strengths pass behind his eyes but none of them came out of his mouth.

"Alec? You are Alexander?" Catarina scrutinized him with such intensity it made the man flush. She smiled looking back at Magnus. "You've made up! How delightful."

Resisting the urge to preen, he winked at Alec. "Darling, I'd like for you to meet Catarina Loss, my dear, dear friend. Catarina this is my… well, this is Alexander Lightwood." He said with such pride the blush Catarina had started filled his face. He extended his hand, hoping that Alec would take it and join them.

Alec only had eyes for the blue skinned warlock. He went to her and knelt before her. He reached to take her hands when she flinched so slightly that Magnus thought he'd imagined it, but the look of pained disgrace on Alec's face when he lowered his hands told him it had been very real. "I am deeply ashamed for what was done to you. If a lowly Nephilim thug's words mean anything, I apologize for your mistreatment." His face burned brightly red as he continued. "I am sorry. Please know that what happened in London will be addressed."

"Oh..." Catarina's face softened, bringing a hand to her cheek, she gazed at Alec for a long moment, unable to speak. Finally she looked at Magnus with shining eyes. "Keep him this time, will you?"

Magnus's face burned, an effect only Catarina was able to produce. "Ah, I intend to." Kale snorted but only shrugged when Magnus glared at him.

His friend gave him a blinding smile, one that promised she would be grilling him for details later. "I appreciate the assurance, Alexander." She said as polite and sweet as blueberry pie, which made Magnus tense. "You are very kind-hearted, I think. I hope it rubs off on your people."

Alec resembled a tomato, a very mortified and remorseful tomato, staring down at his hands folded over one knee. He did not move from where he knelt. "Is there anything I can do for you?" Magnus hadn't seen anything like this since honor was something humans lived by and died by.

"I would love to know why I was targeted in the first place." She lifted her gaze from the penitent Nephilim and directed her question at Kale.

"Why do you always assume things are my fault?" High Warlocks should not be allowed to whine. It was completely un-dignifying, not that it seemed to matter to him.

She rolled her eyes. "Because Magnus's idiocy is limited to his love affairs." She eyed Magnus, making him shrink back a bit. "Normally. And being as you are here in New York I can only assume it's for more than a social call. You hate cities."

"It's the Coven meeting, right?" Alec asked from his position on the floor.

Kale raised an eyebrow at Magnus. "You really did tell him everything. I'm impressed."

Shooting daggers at him, Magnus crossed his arms. He said too defensively for his own taste, "I told him that the Coven was meeting. It's not like I pay attention to these things."

"What meeting?" Catarina demanded from the two of them. "The warlocks are gathering? That would have been good information to have; as the Clave knew something was happening. They thought I was lying."

Alec took in a sharp hitch of breath. "So you don't meet every hundred years or …?"

Catarina balked. "Heavens no, could you imagine what an uproar that would create? All that demonic energy in one place? It would be a disaster. We didn't even a gather en masse for the Accords, just sent a few choice representatives."

A wounded look flashed across Alec's face. Magnus's heart leap into his throat, threatening to choke him. He would pay for that lie later. It wasn't like he meant to, he just didn't want to be involved at all. Nor have Alec involved. The justification sounded lame even to his own ears.

"So what does it mean?" He asked cautiously. Wheels turned behind those blue eyes and Magnus did not like the direction they were going in. "The gathering and hiding it?"

At that moment, Chairman decided he needed to supervise and ascended to the back of the couch where Catarina sat. He meowed at them all. The tiny cat sat in his regal chat noir posture and curled his tail around his feet. He meowed again.

Kale snickered. "Hiding? I hate to break it to you, angel cake, but the Clave's been turning a blind eye on warlock business for centuries. We don't need to hide things, we just don't broadcast them."

"Two out of the three warlocks in this room have no idea what's going on." Alec snapped.

"It's not that cut and dry." He replied, still calm. "Two out of the three warlocks in this room don't pay attention to politics. But that's what the meeting is for, to draft all able bodied warlocks to the ranks. Can't have a rebellion without soldiers."

Magnus closed his eyes as he heard Alec's sharp intake of breath. He mentally cursed himself for not throwing Kale out on his ear. Then he mentally cursed Kale.

Rolling her eyes, Catarina sighed. "Please tell me we aren't putting that back on the table. It didn't work the first three times and it's not going to work a fourth."

"Precisely." Magnus hissed. "It's reckless and stupid. I do not want to spend my eternity patrolling the gateways to Hell because my brethren warlocks couldn't handle the Nephilim's attitude problem." Fucking Kale. This was not how he wanted Alec to find out about this. The young man still hasn't moved from where he knelt, quite motionless and white-faced.

"Rebellion." The Nephilim whispered, horror stricken. "But…" His voice sounded so small, so dismayed. "That would… the Accords…"

"You can make that case at the meeting." Kale shrugged as if this all was insignificant. Perhaps to someone as old and powerful as him, it was insignificant. He'd watched empires rise and fall, kings, queens, councils, continents, oligarchies, and anarchies come and go. Yet the warlocks stood in time, the only constant in the wheel of everlasting changes. Scientists said in a few billion, million years the sun would explode and engulf the earth. If the warlocks and Nephilim went to war, would anyone be around to see it? Probably Kale. That cockroach would survive anything.

Catarina put a hand on Alec's shoulder. "Not everyone is stupid as Kale, here."

"Hey!"

"Not everyone will want to go to war. I certainly don't. This happens every generation or two, some ornery misfits get all riled up over the state of things and start talking revolution." She sounded very calm and very reasonable. Catarina offered him a radiant smile. "They'll want to hear from me. I'll certainly speak out against. Given what happened it'll hold a bit more weight. Don't take all this so to heart. The warlocks can take care of their own."

Alec gave her a weak smile in return. Apprehension killing it before any dimples showed.

She patted him lightly on the cheek. "If you don't get up soon young man, I'm going to expect a ring." Catarina teased gently.

Color flooded back to his boyfriend's face. He floundered for a moment before coughing into a hand and rising.

"Well…" Catarina stood with him. "Thank you for staging such an elaborate rescue, I am disinclined to support this vocation of yours." She tossed her braid over her shoulder. "As much as I would love to stay and hear all about Kale's elaborate plans of world domination, some of us have jobs to get back to."

Magnus kept his eyes glued on Alec who still hadn't returned to normal pallor. "Thank you for stopping by." He said politely. He laid a kiss on her cheek and offered her a small smile. They said their goodbyes to each other. Chairman tried to follow her out. Magnus scooped him up to put him on the leather throne.

"See you at the meeting!" Kale called, "Tomorrow at nine!"

With a snort the white haired warlock stalked out, slamming the door in her wake.

The silence that followed her departure weighed on Magnus. A thick, foreboding silence like the primordial dark stretched between worlds, he had a hard time moving against. "Alec." He licked his lips tentatively. "I didn't know any of this until yesterday, you have to believe me." After another long moment of excruciating silence Magnus pleaded, "Alec say something."

Anxious blue eyes finally locked on Magnus. "We cannot allow this war to happen."

Magnus's heart broke. He watched that Nephilim encoded meddlesome, sanctimonious we-are-the-Law attitude take over his boyfriend. He knew Alec meant well. War with anyone else always took valuable time away from demon hunting, two fronts being harder to defend than one. If he took any of this to the Clave and they got involved now, it would be a catastrophe. "Leave it to us for a while, Alec. The Coven has not decided on anything. They are just meeting."

"If there is going to be a war…" Alec grimaced and shook his head slowly. His body coiled tense, ready for action. A weighty knell clanging in Magnus's heart with each word. When he spoke, his voice lay heavy with disquiet truths. "No one will be spared. From the oldest and most powerful warlocks to the youngest and weakest swaddled babes… Magnus, the Clave would hunt warlocks just the same as they hunt demons. They would burn this place down with you, me, and everyone else in it, just to kill you. The ifrit cooks at Taki's. Loki Dire—Izzy's favorite jeweler. The wardens of portals. Everyone, Magnus. No one would be safe. Angel—it would ripple into the relations with other Downworlders. It would be like—like the Accords were never signed."

"Don't say that." Magnus went to him, lightly holding his arms. The Nephilim's skin felt hot under his hands, feverishly warm. "Alec, sweetheart, we're not at war. It won't happen. Like Catarina said, this comes and goes every few centuries. Hasn't been attempted since the fall of Rome. It'll be fine." He tried for assuring.

Alec gazed back at him steadily, face closed off and empty as white paint. It was the face he had worn when killing demons on Valentine's ship. His lovely, sweet, kind Alec had gone away while the Shadowhunter in him took over.

"Loki Dire of Dire Desires," Kale draped himself across the couch. "I'm surprised you know the name. Or that Taki's had ifrit cooks."

"I know all the names of all the Downworlders under the protection and rule of the New York Institute as they have been given to us. Registry is not required, just recommended. We cannot be responsible for you if we do not know you exist." The lack of inflection in his tone was most disturbing.

"Didn't think you cared that much. Must be a hell of a lot of names." The warlock whistled. "How do ya remember 'em all?"

Alec lifted the hem of the tiny tank top. Magnus knew the memory rune tattooed permanently on his right side. Neither bothered to explain the rune. If Kale hadn't known it, he wouldn't be worth his status as High Warlock. Just having power to throw around didn't qualify him for the job alone.

Magnus opened his mouth to ask Alec to please not flash Kale, it only encouraged him, but a loud bang on the door interrupted.

"Catarina back to give us more grief?" Kale smirked. "You'd think she'd be more appreciative, after all we could've died."

"One could only be so lucky." Magnus muttered, dryly. He opened the door. A flash of black and red and weapons skyrocketed by him. If he'd been in a more amused mood, he'd have created a cartoonish puff of smoke in its wake.

"Alec!" Isabelle exclaimed, throwing herself into her brother's startled arms.

Before Magnus could shut the door, Jace shoved past him as well. "Don't ask for my permission." he growled. Mood deteriorating further, he slammed the door shut.

"Hey look!" Kale sat up, interest piqued. "More angel cakes! How you doin'?"

"Izzy." Alec breathed, hugging his sister before holding her back at arm's length. "You can't be here." He cast an accusing glare at Jace. "What were you thinking bringing her here?"

The blond dropped a black bag that clanked. The noise sent Chairman fleeing into the office down the hall by the guest rooms. Jace crossed his arms looking defiant. "Well if you hadn't gone storming off like a hormonal teenage girl we wouldn't have had to come skulking around in Brooklyn."

"Oh." Kale brightened. "Feel free to come skulking around here anytime you want goldilocks, I've got a bed just your size."

Jace turned his hard golden eyes toward the grinning warlock on the couch. "And who does that make you? Baby bear?"

Kale grinned, enjoying the game immensely. "Oh, I'll be your baby bear."

"How did you two get in, anyways?" Magnus didn't think they could beat the wards on his door. Or pick locks.

"The blue nurse." Jace shrugged. He looked Alec over and clenched his jaw. "We brought you some weapons and clothes. Unless you've given up hunting to be the warlock boytoy."

That struck a nerve in Alec, but Magnus quipped back, "You're just jealous that he looks better than you."

"Alec!" Izzy huffed, hands on her hips. "You can't just expect that we wouldn't follow you. You're our brother! Jace is your parabatai!"

"Siblings…" Of course Kale wouldn't leave it unremarked upon. "I dig it. Five makes an orgy, right? Or Magnus and I can just watch; we have plenty of whipped cream."

Isabelle frowned, registering the man. She swiveled to give the Canadian a scathing look. "Have we met?"

"Only in my dreams, doll face." He replied, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "How's about you and I go get to know each other and let the boys talk?"

It happened too fast for Magnus to stop it. There was a charger plate under an array of candles. A red metal charger plate he'd found wandering some awful kitschy store on the southeast side. It had Dali-esque elephants painted in gold along the rim.

Alec dumped the candles from a platter and hurled it like a shakram at Kale. It embedded into the wooden frame of the couch with a fluffy explosion. Kale slid to the floor and remained unfortunately, unharmed.

"My COUCH!" Magnus cried.

"You will leave her alone!" Having seen many death glares in his long life, Kale held his hands up in placid surrender. Alec seethed. He stood between Kale and his little sister. His hands bare and body vibrating with the need to strangle the warlock. It was entirely possible that some of his anger was from Jace's comment, but the Canadian would be on the receiving end of it.

"I warned you, Kale." Magnus was not going save him.

If only Izzy could keep her mouth shut. "What? I can take him!"

Kale grinned. "I would love that, thank you. Dinner and a drive-in right? I like romantic comedies."

Alec whirled around to yell at her, "You can't even beat me; you'll never take him out."

"But I can." Jace answered coolly, eyeing Kale with interest. He fingered the hilt of his angelic blade.

Magnus rubbed his hands together, finally seeing an end to this afternoon he would enjoy. "Oh yes. Please, fight." He shouldn't have sounded so giddy. "It would make my life so much easier if you were dead, brat." It almost didn't matter which one won. Kale. Jace. Thinking about it now, Magnus could see how alike the two of them were. But in this instance, he meant Jace.

"Magnus!" Alec sounded offended.

Shrugging he replied blithely. "Your parabatai leaves much to be desired, darling. Really, I thought the two of you were supposed to take care of each other's weaknesses. Guard each other's backs. Jace never seems to have gotten the memo." He'd known parabatai before. Known enough pairs to know that you protected faults, not exploited them.

Jace whirled on him. "I stopped him from calling you five times a day every fucking day for five months, didn't I?"

Scandalized, Alec turned beet red. "Jace!" He looked to Izzy for help but her attention was still on Kale who made kissy faces at her from the floor.

"This is so much better than telemundo." The warlock got back up and tried to pull the metal plate from the back of the couch. Alec had lodged it into the wood deeply and after a few tugs Kale gave up. He made himself comfortable and watched the fireworks.

Magnus and Jace continued to argue without regard for anyone else in the room. That infuriating blond boy had made his life a living hell for longer than was acceptable. "No, you didn't. You just broke his phone with all the photos and memories stored in it of the last year of his life. And you made him feel guilty for wanting to keep them!"

"For the love of the Angel…." Alec gave up, collapsing onto the couch with a sigh.

Smug, Kale made himself comfortable, spreading out so his knee touched Alec's. He winked at Isabelle. "Want to join us sweet cheeks? I'll make popcorn."

An angry blue spark lit Kale's jeans on fire where their knees touched.

"Hey-ow!" He hollered, he batted at the flames with his hands putting it out. Kale always was one for theatrics. He rubbed his hands together, over the new hole and burn. "Kiss it and make it better?" He waggled his eyebrows at Alec.

The blue eyed Nephilim stared at him, horrified by the suggestion.

"Would you all stop it!" Isabelle demanded. She crossed her arms scowling, looking just like her mother. Determined, hard, and unmoving. Or maybe it was just like her father, Magnus thought uncharitably. "We came here for a reason, Jace."

Jace tore his glare from Magnus. "Is there somewhere we talk?" He directed the question at Alec would was reaching for the bag to find a weapon.

"You will talk here." Magnus answered, almost hoping Jace would rise to the bait so he could justify slamming that pretty face of his into the wall, repeatedly. "My house, my rules." His lips tugged into a self-satisfied smirk as he remembered the day before and how easily he could snap the Shadowhunters neck. He really should devise a better curse to inflict on his lover's trainwreck of a parabatai. One that wouldn't cause undue harm to Alec. Maybe a bird feeder.

"I am not going back, if that's why you're here." Alec said, surprising Magnus. "What they planned to do is against the Law. " He opened his mouth to say more, but stopped.

Isabelle dropped to her knees in front of her brother. "Alec." She spoke softly. "The investigation into London is complete. There is no evidence that implicates Magnus."

"Not anymore." Jace muttered, crossing his arms and deciding to shore up the wall. "Next time you entertain a fugitive in your room make sure to dispose of the bloody armor."

"Oh Angel." Alec covered his mouth, "I forgot all about that." He turned his wide eyes to Magnus who regarded his siblings coolly.

Isabelle put a hand on his leg. "We couldn't get rid of the armor, but we did clean off the blood." Her large, dark eyes studied her eldest brother, pleading with him to understand. "They can't prove Magnus was in London. I mean, Mother and Father can't. He's safe."

Kale leaned forward, elbows on his thighs. "You knowingly destroyed evidence? Why?"

"Indeed. What's the catch?" Magnus straightened, keeping his gaze on Jace. He knew full well the Clave never did things out of the goodness of their hearts. Everything had a price. The younger generation always learned that lesson early. Except Alec. Alec still seemed to operate on the altruistic concept of try not to die while saving everyone you can. He was noble and wonderful and unfortunately easy to manipulate.

Currently, Alec hid his face behind his hands. Hiding from what Magnus didn't know, but he very much wanted to find out.

Ignoring the warlocks completely, Jace pushed off the wall. "Our point is: they haven't told the Clave you left or that they suspect Magnus."

Alec nodded as he digested this information. "Why did they cover it up?"

Jace looked bored as he said, "Because you are more use to us behind enemy lines than stripped of your marks and tossed out on the street." Alec stared at Jace like the boy had slapped him.

"Jace!" Isabelle gasped, horrified. She flailed her hands. "It's not as bad as that. Of course we want to know what's going on with the Warlocks... And you are our Reparations Officer, so they want you to be our voice, and eyes and ears." She tried to lessen the blow, but the damage had been done. From her pants pocket, she handed Alec a sealed envelope with the Lightwood family crest on it.

Anger started to boil inside Magnus. "Blackmail?" He hissed.

"Word is getting out about a gathering of warlocks." Jace replied emptily. "Our best defense is having someone there and since we can't trust a warlock," he gestured to Magnus. "We can trust you. At least, I hope we can."

Alec read through the letter. "I understand." He sighed, slumping back into the couch, closing his eyes. "I should have thought ahead and expected them to use my relationship with Magnus to their advantage."

"Nephilim politics at its finest!" Kale cheered.

* * *

"Are you still mad at me?" Alec asked, poking his head into the doorway.

Magnus glanced up from where he sat hunched on his bed. "I was never mad at you." He sighed. He'd thrown the other two Nephilim out after Jace started spouting garbage about what was best for the Clave and duty. Isabelle tried to be more gentle, but not even her feminine touch could cushion the blow. He'd dismissed Kale with a furious growl and a shower of blue sparks. He stormed around the apartment, cleaning the mess in the bedroom and picking new lamps, a new couch, a new everything. None of it matched, yet, somehow it suited Magnus and his mood just fine. A 60's mod egg pod chair in all plaid that looked very small next to the oversized, overstuffed, royal purple, velvet sectional. He picked a circular glass coffee table with a small fire flickering in a partitioned flue, because somehow that wouldn't be even more dangerous with Kale around. He got rid of the television.

The new bedroom had a pair of tall, paper-lantern lamps that flanked a California king sized bed. The carved oak headboard had a convex curve echoed in the foot board's concave curve and posts decorated with cherry blossom trees. The bedspread no longer matched the exact color of Alec's eyes. A black silk background decorated with gold and pink petals looked Asian and modern and inviting. After his angry fit of redecorating, Magnus claimed a headache and went to lay down.

Alec had quietly watched from the kitchen, holding Chairman safe in his arms. He had snagged the duffel bag of gear before Magnus could get rid of it too. He changed into a real shirt. A simple v-neck t-shirt that Magnus kept calling an undershirt. He kept the leather pants, though. Every time his eyes slid over that body, they lingered on his butt and thighs. It made the younger man blush a bit, but he didn't change.

Closing the door softly behind him, Alec padded over to the bed. He slid behind the warlock, wrapping his arms around him in a loose hug, resting his chin on his shoulder.

"This is good news, Magnus." The younger man pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. They sat in silence for a few moments. Magnus rubbing absent-minded circles on the scarred flesh of his boyfriend's hand with a thumb.

"Ah, yes." He replied, flippantly. "The Clave wants to use us as informants. The warlocks aren't stupid; they're going to figure it out."

"You aren't an informant, I am."

"That is not better." He was too tired to keep up the hot rage that spilled through him at the thought. He could believe the Clave would use whomever and whatever was at their disposal however they wanted, but his in-laws? The lives of loved ones were not replaceable! "How dare they hold your life so cheap."

"Magnus." Alec sighed.

It warranted repeating, so Magnus told him again. "I have absolutely no interest in Kale's uprising. I am only interested in self-preservation." He turned to look him in the eyes, hand clasped over the one on his chest.

"You and I both know that if this war happens neutrality will not exist. It is the Clave's way. Besides, even if you could stand on the sidelines as a warlock, you are still a member of the Clave Council." Alec said, exhaustion leaking into his voice. "That binds you to upholding the Laws of Heaven."

"I have no interest in upholding the laws of heaven. Don't you understand?" Magnus ran his hands through his hair. "This is about your safety."

"My safety?"

Magnus threw his hands up. "I didn't join that stupid little council because I believed in honor or heaven or-whatever-ridiculous notions the Nephilim think they stand for. I joined it to be with _you_. I fought in the wars to keep you _safe_. So I could be with _you_." He sighed. As an afterthought, he added, "All I care about is you and keeping you safe. I want to take you to a private island and be together without any of ...this." He waved his hand emptily, as if to indicate the world at large and the impending doom.

"Magnus…" Alec breathed the name like a prayer.

The warlock stood and walked to the window. He let out a ragged sigh, "Don't pretend you didn't know any of that. You are anything but stupid, Alexander." He closed his eyes. Damn Jace. Damn Isabelle. Damn the Lightwoods. And damn the Clave. He almost wished they would take Alec's marks. It was selfish, but at least then there wouldn't be any enslaved to the will of the Clave bullshit that came with being a Shadowhunter. There always seemed to be something in the way, a third member of their relationship. Politics. God damn the devil and outer dimensions, he _hated_ politics.

"I don't want to fight with you," Alec's voice stayed hushed and low. It almost didn't reach him by the window. He stayed on the bed and seriously considered the offer. "Alright." Alec finally whispered. "But, if we let the world go to hell, where would we live?"

Magnus stared into his reflection in the glass. He pressed his lips so tightly together they turned white. The headache threatened to return. They could hide. Time passed differently in pocket dimensions. Or in other dimensions. He could easily teleport them anything they needed.

It wasn't that Magnus didn't want to fight. He'd fought in many battles, taken many lives, fought for a cause or two. When you lived forever, battles over a throne didn't mean anything. Not when there would always be another tyrant, another dictator, another person who wanted to save the world. He didn't care anymore. He was tired of all the needless bloodshed. After the first three centuries, Magnus gave that up. His goal was to love and be loved back. This goal had coalesced into Alec. He'd never experienced anything like it, which was saying something considering how many times he'd fallen in love. One was never the same after losing half your heart, until Alec came along and he found a home of quiet. The stillness he used to fear, he found in moments with Alec where he belonged. Each moment a drop of contentment he had no idea how he'd earned. He wouldn't lose it again without a fight.

Magnus knew he was holding on too tightly. Knew the offer of running away would never work. It wasn't in Alec's nature. It was wholly selfish and disrespectful to Alec, it was not _just _his job to walk into danger and protect people, but _who he was_. He had to help. But Magnus wanted to keep him for himself. He would have offered to take Alec anywhere he wanted to go. Except into danger. "In an undisclosed location until this whole sordid mess is over?"

"I can't." Alec exhaled, "You know I can't."

"Of course you can't." He would not lead him to the slaughter. That would be exactly what the warlocks would do to him if he went to the Coven meeting. "You might be willing to walk into the dragon's den but I cannot take you there."

Alec took a breath. "Alright." He waited until Magnus turned to blink questioningly at him. "Kale will take me."

Magnus went back to redecorating his apartment.


	9. Chapter 9

**I feel that I should warn you guys...the next several chapters are on the long side. Please review so I know you are still enjoying the story! Otherwise I lose the motivation to write! :) Thanks as always to Cleff and thanks for reading!**

~Chapter Nine~

Sleep did not come easily to Alec; in fact it didn't come at all. He finally got up and slipped out of bed around 6 am. He quietly crept from the room hoping not to wake Magnus. When the warlock finally came to bed at two am, he'd collapsed without a word. It hurt that he was so angry, but what was Alec to do? He couldn't run away from his responsibilities. Even that comic book had said it: With great power came great responsibility. It wasn't exactly like the battle in Alicante, but he hoped Magnus would still come around and support him. He did not want to go into negotiations with Kale as his only back-up. Angel only knew what that warlock would do.

He showered quickly and found that disappointment waited for him when he went back to the bedroom. Magnus slept on. Alec took his stele and started drawing runes on himself. Three quarters of an hour later, he'd finally finished. He quickly dressed in jeans, a faded black t-shirt, and a new jacket he didn't remember buying that Jace and Izzy had packed for him. He was sorting through the bag of weapons on the floor when two tanned arms came around him. His head tilted to the side as kisses pressed to his neck. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to see me off."

Magnus turned Alec to face him. Cupping the side of his face, he kissed him on the lips. Pulling back he gave Alec a stern look. "What makes you think I'd let you and Kale go anywhere without my supervision?"

Alec blinked then laughed, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's neck. "Thank the Angel..." He'd thought the ploy hadn't worked.

Snorting, Magnus hugged him back. "Don't think you won't pay for this blatant manipulation." He said, in a teasing tone, "I expect to be handsomely compensated." He backed Alec into the dresser with a smile and a kiss. Just because Magnus was not a Shadowhunter did not mean he wasn't strong. He easily lifted Alec onto the dresser without breaking apart.

Alec spread his legs wide to draw him in. Every kiss made his pulse quicken. Every touch made him shiver and want more and it was never enough all at the same time. "That can be arranged." He murmured. The lips were very warm above his own. He put everything he felt into the touch. _I love you. I'm sorry this sucks. I love you. Please understand._ He slid his fingers up into silky black hair and held Magnus captive.

Happily lip locked, Magnus let it build in intensity, hands wandering hungrily over his back and sides. The things he was doing with his tongue made Alec's toes curl in his boots. They did not have time for what they were working up to. His jeans became woefully tight.

Breathing heavy, Magnus pulled back with great difficulty. "Please…" he licked his swollen lips, "Please… can't we go to South Island?," he nipped at Alec's lips, "Hawaii?" nuzzled his neck then kissed his jaw, "Tasmania, ohhh Tahiti, it's lovely there… little neon drinks with umbrellas." He breathed against Alec's flushed skin, "or Bali, how about Bali?No, wait. Bali's full of spiders. Never mind that one."

Laughing, Alec clung to his shoulders. "We can't do that." Magnus gave a dramatic sigh. Alec kissed away the sour look, ignoring how much he wanted to strip and drag them back to the bed. Being a responsible adult sucked. "I would run away with you in a heartbeat, under different circumstances."

"You want to get married? We can go to Vegas first?" He paused, cat-eyes studying Alec. "Ring?" He offered him one of the many pieces of jewelry from the box beside him. It was a large, cut yellow gem. Knowing Magnus it was probably a real yellow diamond.

"Don't be ridiculous." Alec laughed quietly. "That would flash at the smallest light. It would be a dead giveaway on a hunt. Besides, we use Runes, you know we do."

"Does that mean you don't want to marry me?"

"Magnus!" Alec shoved at him, grinning. "If you are coming you need to get ready."

Magnus pouted. An honest to goodness pout, it was so adorable Alec had to kiss him again. "But first." He eyed the bag of weapons with dislike. "We have to arm you properly. You can't march in like a Shadowhunter decked out for battle, weapons everywhere."

"Technically for peace negotiations I am supposed to be unarmed as a show of good faith." Alec said evenly, with a very good blank face as he pulled a runed dagger from his boot. "I am not stupid, Magnus. I just have to hide my weapons better. I mean, I take one big obvious one, give it up at the door and promise to be there in amity."

"I would never think you are stupid, darling. Trusting, noble, honest—well except for this case—but never stupid." Magnus looked over the blade and tapped his chin. He wiggled his fingers and a flat box soared from the closet and to his hand. "There may be spells up that will detect Angelic weaponry, if we are going to hide something…" He opened the box and picked up a sheathed dagger. "This is an demonic blade." He explained, taking Alec's hand so he could press it into it. "It should fit in that sheath."

Alec unsheathed the knife, turning it over in his hand. The metal shined like any other steel blade, polished and gleaming, but still gave back a cloudy reflection. It was weighted for parrying, light and fast. The runes carved into the pommel gave him an uneasy feeling, "If I stab someone with this, I'm not going to steal their soul or something, am I?"

To his complete surprise, Magnus had to check the dagger over again before he answered. "…No. That's not this one... This'll… give your wounds to your enemy."

A retribution spell, Alec slid the dagger into its new home by his shin. He did not want to think about what other daggers Magnus might have.

"Under no circumstances are you to take this out unless I tell you."

Pressing his lips together, Alec nodded, slightly insulted that Magnus would think he would make such a novice mistake.

Magnus kissed his forehead. "Don't make that face. You know as well as I do how trigger happy you Nephilim are. Someone looks at you the wrong way you are ready to kill them."

"You mistake me for Jace."

"He's not the one that destroyed my couch."

Alec had nothing to say to that. He hopped off the dresser, glaring. "I know how to handle myself, Magnus. I've been to Clave meetings and negotiations before." He wasn't a politician, but lack of faith gnawed at him. Alec needed all the confidence he could get; this argument did not help him.

"This is nothing like a Clave meeting. You don't assassinate each other at Clave meetings." He replied, eyes going suddenly distant. "Promise me you will stay by my side."

Assassinate? "Stop treating me like I am helpless. And please stop panicking."

Magnus winced. "I don't mean to-" Frustrated, he raked a hands through his hair and tried to explain. "I'm taking the most precious thing in my life into the most dangerous place on earth."

_You are my heart walking the earth outside my body._

Alec smiled. "I love you, too."

"I can't lose you." Magnus pressed his forehead to Alec's. "I can't."

"You won't." Alec took the warlock's face into his hands. His thumbs rubbed soothing circles against his cheeks. He'd do many great and terrible things to wipe the look of fear off his boyfriend's face. "If nothing else, trust in my desire not to die. I want to live. I want to come home to you and make out with you every day, at least once a day, for the rest of my life. Okay?"

Startled into laughter, Magnus agreed.

"Now. Tell me about the major players. What can I expect? Is there anything specific I should do? Or say? Or not ever say?"

"Aside from Kale, I don't know who is behind this. I…" Magnus licked his lips. "Stay as quiet and unmoved as you can. They don't expect you there, but once they know you are representing the Clave… they will put on a show for you. It will be bad. Very bad. They might try to tempt you into breaking the Accords. Or they might ignore you and draw up a declaration of war and have you hand deliver it."

Alec frowned. "We need a plan to convince them otherwise."

* * *

The Coven convened at the Metropolitan Opera House. At nine in the morning, no mundane events were scheduled. The sign outside declared "Closed!" and "Coming Soon!" over a series of posters. Briefly, Alec wondered if this went as badly as Magnus seemed to think it would, how would the mundanes explain the destruction of the iconic theater? Inside the theater looked much like the opera house Magnus had taken him to in Italy. A cantilevered stairway dominated the lobby climbing several floors. Carved wood and plaster molding decorated every corner, line, surface, chair rail and counter in fleur de lis, vines, and Italian scrollwork. Ostentatious, he decided, but pretty. A dozen crystal chandeliers twinkled like constellations lighting the way. Alec gnawed on his lip. Considering what Kale did to Magnus's lamps, he wished he'd worn Shadowhunter gear. The leather would protect him much better than his boyfriend's fashion sense.

His skin prickled the further they moved inside. Alec had drawn so many anti-magic runes, magic protection runes, and nullify magic runes, he couldn't pinpoint what he felt from whom. He could only taste the foul magic saturating the air. With so many warlocks in the building, their magic compounded upon itself. It turned even the weakest signals strong enough to feel like as Alec walked, he waded through knee-high quicksand. He shoved the unnerving feeling to the back of his mind. It wouldn't help to dwell on it. Warning him of danger now would be like declaring the rain was wet.

Kale led their party. He had added a thicker flannel shirt, hunter green, over his other beaten, scruffy clothes. He had offered Catarina his arm not at all minding her outfit putting his to shame. She wore a white, pristine dress in a style Alec had only seen in portraits from centuries ago. She looked graceful and regal. Her long white hair cascaded in curls down her back.

Magnus had dressed like he'd come from a nightclub and was on his way home. His white pants needed to be arrested. The way they hugged him tight over his butt was simply criminal. The large studded belt with its brilliant, giant buckle that pointed to the man's crotch made Alec's face hot. Only with great effort did he not tie his jacket around his boyfriend's waist. Magnus's wine red shirt had two buttons done near his sternum, letting the rest fall open and bare his golden skin to the world. A half dozen silver, gold, and steel chains with pendants, all magical, draped over his slim chest. He wore a ring on nearly every finger, some with doubled bands of plain metal, others with precious stones. Magnus's skin shimmered in the light, glitter winking in his hair, too. He done something with his makeup to make his eyes look very, very green. A white and black punk-rock sports coat and matching hat completed his exhibitionist style.

Magnus snaked an arm around Alec's waist, tugging him to his side. He pressed his mouth close to Alec's ear. "You see those three up on the staircase?"

Alec followed his eyes. A blond man in green with red and black eyes laughed with a shorter man with black hair and a bloody scar that took up half his face. Next to the pair stood a dark skinned woman with brown hair in wild braids and clawed hands. He nodded.

"Keep your distance."

The crowd parted as a short warlock hobbled towards them. A waistcoat and formal clothes hid much of his dark blue skin and green scales. He had features that seemed vaguely Asian, oblong eyes, smooth black hair, and a flat nose. The man walked with a cane, his left leg below the knee had been replaced by a wooden peg. The hard gleam in his brown eyes told Alec the wound was probably given to him by a Nephilim. There were runes specifically designed to prevent healing spells from working. Most of them weren't used any more, the point was to kill your enemies not maim them.

"Jiruko Curse." Magnus introduced him to Alec when he saw the man headed toward them. "Magistrate and a High Warlock of Tokyo, he's presiding over the meeting today."

Power washed over Alec in a deepening waves as the warlock progressed. In his wake, the man left silence. By the time he came to a halt before the four, all eyes were on them. Jiruko blinked double eyelids; the inner set a clear vertical membrane, the outer horizontal. "Kale." He greeted with a jut of his chin. The man spoke in a rolling baritone suited to giving orders. "You have delivered Magnus to us."

Magnus smiled politely. He sounded nigh on jaunty when he declared without preamble, "I vote no, for the record."

Jiruko turned his heavy gaze to Magnus. "Unsurprising, given how the half-breeds rely on you, they should ask you to move in for expediency's sake. Are you sure you're still a warlock?"

The polite smile froze on Magnus's face. Blandly, he replied, "I thought you knew our fathers had a regular chess date every Tuesday."

After a tense moment of silence the Magistrate's attention turned from the flashy warlock to the subdued Shadowhunter. "I don't recall clearing any visitors to this meeting." He looked the young man over. His power reached out, licking over Alec like slimy tentacles, tasting him. He fought the urge to retch at the sensation. "A Nephilim?"

Alec had practiced this move. With a flick of his thumb, the belt strapped across his chest holding the mundane broadsword unlocked. In one smooth, swift motion he had it wrapped up and held out with both hands to the Magistrate. "On behalf of the Clave, I, Alexander Lightwood, relinquish my sword to you, Magistrate Jiruko Curse, in good faith that we might negotiate in peace."

The blue warlock tapped his cane on the ground a few times.

For a span of heartbeats Alec was certain the man would take it to kill him with it right then and there. Traditionally, angry kings did kill the messenger. The Fearless rune must have started working, because he was not afraid to die. Just angry that he was sent to die uselessly. Either he succeeded in gaining their trust and staved off a war or died and the Nephilim got to kill warlocks indiscriminately. It hadn't occurred to him that way before, but either way the Clave won.

"Are you trying to insult me, boy?" The Magistrate finally asked.

"No, sir—"

"Only the Consul may negotiate treaties in the Clave's name."

"You are correct. I cannot swear the Clave to a treaty. However, I am the Reparations Officer for the New York Institute." Alec's voice rang loud and clear. "The Consul sends her greetings, but regrettably, is detained in London. It seems someone razed an Institute to the ground." He had not expected the cheering this statement brought forth. "In her stead, I am authorized to settle the matter of Ms. Catarina Loss' case. I can take testimony and listen to all grievances you wish to bring forth. And I can attend to wergild requests. All I ask is that you take this sword so I may attend in peace and help prevent this war from happening."

"I heard…" Jiruko drawled, "That Magnus had taken a Nephilim lover. I assume that is who you are?"

He could not prevent the color flooding to his face. His arms extended to their fullest, started to get tired at the weight. If he dropped the sword or lowered it, the Magistrate could refuse him and the Clave. That would be bad.

"He is." Magnus stepped forward.

Jiruko ignored him, staring at Alec, waiting for an answer. Licking his lips, he did not like the observation. It had no place in negotiations, unless it was about to be used against him. Alec evaded it. "Is that of interest to you?"

"Answer me this truthfully and I will accept your entry," Jiruko's hand hovered over the scabbard. The curl of a devious smile pulling his lips up. He had Alec. He knew it. Somehow he'd been set up. "If the Clave ordered you to kill Magnus, would you do it?"

Fuck me. Alec paled. "Mariticide is a high crime among the Nephilim."

The Magistrate blinked rapidly, genuinely surprised with the answer. He recovered quickly. "Are Nephilim allowed to marry warlocks?"

"It's happened before." He could only recall one instance and it had been a very special case. Although the family journals from that time period were filled with special cases. Alec raised the sword to touch the blue hand that gripped the weapon in an automatic response.

Jiruko strapped the weapon to his back with jerky movements. He had thrown Alec a curveball only to have him hit a homerun. The Magistrate narrowed his eyes and even in defeat, he won. "We welcome you in peace, Alexander Lightwood of the Nephilim Clave. I expect to see you in the front row for the guest speakers. I trust you can find your way." He nodded to Catarina. "I look forward to hearing your account."

With that he hobbled away in the direction he came. Alec let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. The power slithering over him ebbed away. In its absence he felt faint. The crowd instantly descended into gossip.

"I don't like this." Magnus repeated for the umpteenth time. "He means to put Alec on display. And in the front row? We won't have an escape."

Kale shrugged. "Who cares, he just gave angel cake permission to attend the meeting and guaranteed his safety, that's what you wanted."

The world truly must be coming to an end, because Alec agreed with Kale's assessment. He was about to pronounce the miracle, or apologize to Magnus for the exchange, when another warlock approached them.

The woman had metallic gold skin. She wore a red silk dress that held her modesty in place with a dangling gold looped belt. It was a single fall of red down her back to the floor, parted at her shoulders and the V over her voluptuous curves closed at the belted waist, leaving her sides bare. How she was not freezing, Alec did not know. Noisy bracelets covered her arms and jingled whenever she moved. Her gold hair, wrapped in circlets of crystals and diamonds, had been piled high on her head, making her nearly as tall as Magnus. Her eyes were completely black, flat, and alien.

"Zia!" Kale greeted, giving her an obvious once over. "Might I say you are looking ravishing today."

"Save your paltry adorations, Kale." Her voice ran over them like water over stone. "I'm here to see Magnus."

"Lovely to see you, Zia." Magnus greeted with a nod of his head. The smile gracing his lips was anything but friendly. "Alec this is Zia Deprave, High Priestess of Cairo. Remember when I told you I'd been with warlocks, darling? Zia was one of them." He paused. "Until she cheated on me with an Egyptian vampire… but that was centuries ago." He said so flippantly it was like she wasn't even standing there.

Alec frowned at the warlock. Who in their right mind would cheat on Magnus Bane? He acknowledged her with a slight nod. "Priestess Deprave."

"I see you've found yourself a new plaything." Zia remarked, eyeing Alec like prize cut of meat. "You always did have a thing for pretty boys. What number is he?"

Alec opened his mouth channeled his inner Jace. "Number one. The only one that matters."

Her vulpine stare turned into a sneer. "Interesting." She continued to speak over Alec and to Magnus. "Clearly he's unaware of your track record."

Unfazed, Alec continued. "Did you switched to vampires because you can't satisfy a man that actually breathes?"

Catarina politely coughed into her hand, not really covering her smile. Kale sniggered. Even Magnus looked surprised.

Indignant, Zia reared back, sniffed, and stormed off.

With a sidelong glance the Canadian said, "Not too shabby, angel cake."

Pulling Alec to his side Magnus hissed at him. "What happened to not reacting?"

"What happened to not subjecting me to your ex-girlfriends?" He shot back.

"I had no control over that!"

"Kids!" Kale injected himself between them, putting arm around each of them. "Might I remind you we are in the depths of warlock central? And your little Nephilim is getting some unwanted attention." As he said that, he nodded to the trio Magnus had pointed out earlier. They were descending the stairs looking right at Alec.

The four made it into the main house without further confrontations. Several warlocks approached Catarina with compliments and well-wishes. Alec could feel every eye in the place on him. Catcalls and snickering followed in their wake. He couldn't be sure who those were meant for given Magnus's reputation. The huge house rapidly filled in. At his rough count, he figured the venue held about three thousand. Catarina had been right about the demonic energy. He felt nauseous, edgy, and cagey, but not afraid—the fearless rune hadn't worn off yet. He hoped the rune would last him through the assembly, but he honestly had no idea how long it would hold him against the onslaught. Although he couldn't be sure, some warlocks could manipulate feelings. Even with his training, he couldn't identify the source, the sensation of oppression came from everywhere. "How many warlocks would you say there are?" He asked Magnus.

They found four open seats in the front row. "More than are going to fit in here." The warlock answered. "The ifrits are up of the fifth level; the lower level warlocks come next and then so on. High Warlocks, Magistrates, and High Priests all get to sit in the orchestra."

He went on to explain the hierarchy of warlocks, how they as a whole decided what to do, if anything. Warlocks were a fiercely independent lot. After apprenticeship, they left to run their own small free state. The more powerful the warlock, the larger the area they could claim. In a large regional area, the warlocks appointed a representative, Magnus called him 'sucker,' to talk to the other races on the warlocks' behalf. The local warlocks agreed to abide by any decisions the representative made. These warlocks had different titles, but all served the same function, High Warlock, High Priest, whichever. Magistrates governed High Warlocks, especially if there were many powerful warlocks in the area.

"So…" Alec tentatively ventured. He licked his lips, teasing, "You're our local sucker, and Jiruko is… the head sucker?"

Magnus leaned over in his seat to nibble at the young man's ear. "Mmmmm, what has gotten into you?" His hand came to rest on Alec's thigh, squeezing it.

Turning faintly pink, Alec grabbed the wandering hand. "It's the fearless rune," he kissed the apple of Magnus's cheek. "Worse comes to worse, I can redraw it on the palm of my hand."

Up above them, in the atrium, a large number of winged warlocks hung upside down like bats in a cave. Alec almost said that out loud but fearless was very different from stupid. Despite what his parabatai seemed to think. He continued to watch the room and the attendees. Alec caught a serpentine warlock stare at him; it licked its scaly lips with a forked tongue. He returned the stare with a challenging smile. Over his lap, Magnus spoke with Kale in hushed tones that got lost in the murmur of the crowd. He caught the words not involved, subjugation, and stupid power play.

Finally, Jiruko Curse stepped into center stage to a low rumble of appreciation from the room. A bare stage with no sound equipment, the blue man stood in front of a red curtain. His voice rang out loud and clear. "Welcome, kindred souls!" A brief, deafening applause filled the space. The Magistrate grinned wide. "I am quite pleased at the turn out. The agenda for today's meeting is four speakers discussing the possible war against the Nephilim. One against war, one pro-war, Ms. Loss has a statement to give, and we have a special guest. The Clave has sent a Reparations Officer to address your grievances, and hopefully offer amends for the offences committed against our dear Catarina Loss who recently spent time detained in London."

The crowd exploded in an angry clamor. Their wrath slapped Alec in the face. Hot as acid and tangible enough to choke on he fought not to shrink into his seat. For several long minutes they poured their rage out at the young man. They hurled everything from death threats to promises of retribution. The length of time it took for the room to quiet down gave him a gauge for how unattainable peace would be. He figured the room was 70/30 for the war.

"Alec is not going on trial for every wrong performed by every member of the Clave!"

Kale snorted. "Course not, we don't have that kind of time."

Catarina hissed at them. "Shut up, the two of you, or I'll knock your heads together."

"It's fine." Alec shushed. "Magnus, it's fine."

The angry cat-eyes darted from Kale to him. "You can't be serious."

"Reparations to Catarina are why I am here. And I have to learn what the warlocks want and why they are going to war to communicate an accurate account to the Clave." Alec was sure he had faced worse things in life than an angry room of warlocks. Licking his lips he offered Magnus a small reassuring smile. He could handle this, if anyone let him.

"Point." Kale nodded to him. He nudged Magnus. "Angel cake has a good head on his shoulders; you ought to let him use it." He wiggled his eyebrows at Alec with a wink. "Sides, what's the worst that can happen?"

Magnus tensed tighter than Alec ever saw him. "You did not just curse us with that, did you?" He had never heard that pained tone in his boyfriend's voice before. "I don't like this; I don't like it at all."

Jiruko continued, "The final vote for the treaties as written with the Fey, Vampires, and Lycanthropes will be put to the floor. Lastly, for our ifrit brethren, we have exciting developments in the creation and implementation of stored spell casting. The potency decay rate and minimal recharge rate has been staggeringly approved upon. Dr. Ev'ress Jeer will fill you all in on that. For the war itself, send your comments and votes to your representative by the end of this moon cycle."

"What does he mean stored spells?" Alec edged closer to Magnus to ask.

To his surprise, Kale answered. "Holding spells in an object for later use. Like potions, only, with a wider range."

The idea took a moment to sink in. To hold a spell, any kind of spell, for instant access? Instant portal spell? Instant lightning bolt? Instant healing spell? Even for non-spellcasters? That would make even the ifrits a threat in a battle. Alec sat back, thinking. The Nephilim could use that, too. If the Clave would consent to using magic. He snorted. As if they had moral high ground to look down upon anyone.

As it turned out, the warlocks held no interest in talking about anything Alec could use. The first speaker tried to make a case to negotiate with the Clave, no one else would protect the mundanes or kill demons. For some reason, the warlocks weren't interested in protecting the mundanes or keeping demons from devouring the world in blood and fire. Being half human, Alec wondered why they didn't care. Or why a peaceable world meant nothing to them. Technically speaking, they all had to share planet Earth, right?

The second speaker opened the forum for all grievous sins committed by the Clave. Countless warlocks shouted their accusations at Alec who could say nothing in defense of the Nephilim, nor did he try. There were claims fabricated against the warlocks solely for the seizure of property. Drugs used in interrogations that resulted in addictions or death. Extreme punishments for Downworlders, that had the culprit been Nephilim, it would have amere slap on the wrist. Homes ransacked in search of propaganda proving alliance with Valentine. As if any Downworlder should side with a man that wanted to kill them all. Lovers brutally killed and trophies taken.

Alec sat through everything stone-faced. He had seen many great and many terrible things in this life. The Nephilim were an army. They lived by martial law. Soldiers weren't supposed to have compassion or hurt when they hear about the crimes other people suffer. Alec spent his life trying to be a good Shadowhunter. If he steadfastly ignored his churning stomach, Alec was fine. He felt sicker the more he listened. The shame he felt at the Nephilim's rampant bigotry skyrocketed exponentially the longer the meeting went on. His face turned completely white.

Finally Catarina stood, gliding her way toward the stage. She gave a blunt account of the hours spent in the London dungeon. The drugs, beatings, hallucinations, and the blessed cuffs that not only drained her magic, but drained her. In a few more hours she would have died. The certainty in her voice made Alec's heart clench. She looked at him, eyes a cool blue, in her white gown, a medieval princess. "I demand reparations."

Alec stood. "I do not doubt the veracity of your account, but in lieu of missing physical evidence, I will need three corroborating statements."

A dark skinned man, a human dark brown, stood off to Alec's left. He wore a simple black suit, bright yellow shirt, and a decorative tie. When he spoke, a gravelly voice turned rough with years of smoking. "I can testify to the severity and nature of the wounds sustained. I am Doctor Widmere Peccant."

From the first mezzanine, purring with a lilt of a French accent bellowed through the room. "I am Sage le Brazon." It belonged to the blond warlock with black and red eyed Magnus had pointed out earlier. "I took those monstrous chains off her."

Behind him, Magnus and Kale went back and forth in a small scuffle. Thankfully, Kale was the one that stood and laid claimed to the rescue mission itself.

"The Nephilim accused of these crimes are already dead." Alec had to wait for the cheering to stop. Catarina held up a hand to facilitate the quiet. "What more can you want?"

"My rescuers pardoned from any sentence their actions saving me would have earned."

Alec took a sharp breath. The Clave would never go for it. Thirteen dead and no one held accountable? Nephilim lives counted for more than Downworlder lives. Unfair, but that was the Law. His powers for handling reparations was limited, but his father had given him the job of just handling this case. Make it go away, he had said. Do whatever you need to, you have our support. Our support. Our, us, the Clave. Alec licked his lips. Thirteen dead. He didn't want Magnus killed for it, but the idea that no one would answer for their deaths? He couldn't believe it actually hurt to agree, even if it did save Magnus's life. What kind of boyfriend am I? "I… want to say yes," he grimaced.

"But?" She prompted.

"Pardons of that magnitude can only be granted by the Consul."

The house erupted in thousands of angry voices. The ground trembled. Something hit Alec in the back of his head, knocking him to the ground. He felt the nullify-magic runes burn away. Magnus shouted something that was quickly overcome by the sound of beating wings and thundering of feet and hooves against the floor. He dropped down to Alec, covering him from sight. "Are you alright?"

Alec touched the back of his head and came away with blood. His vision swam with the throbbing in his head but he forced himself to meet Magnus's eyes. "I-I'm ok." His runes blocked the spell. The force of it broke skin.

Magnus reached out and touched the wound. Anger flared in his eyes. "Stay down."

He ordered, rising to his feet and sending a scattering blue sparks across the atrium. For a moment it seemed like the world held its breath. Tension built, a pressure making it hard to breath, and then a whooshing rush of air.

The whoosh unleashed raging blast of heat. Covering his head, Alec took a large gulp of air. He glanced up. The winged warlocks overhead had scattered to the mezzanine rails. Catarina dove to the stage ground, Jiruko whipping a net spell of some kind over her. She rolled off the stage and landed on all fours next to Alec. Jiruko's magic spell shimmered around her in flickers of green and gold. A spell glanced off the net, only to disappear as Jiruko's spell ate the other one.

"We need a path!" Magnus shouted at Kale.

A chandelier burst sending bits of crystal and glass over them. Alec was grateful it wasn't the largest one in the center of the house.

The ground gave a shudder. Alec sank into the floor like his whole body had been filled with lead. He gasped again, the pressure cutting off his breath. Magnus gripped Alec under the arm and pulled him to his feet. At the warlock's touch the compression sensation lessened and he sucked in air noisily.

The crowd slung spells downward in the general vicinity of Alec. Several of the High Warlocks deflected spells back. A harsh clash of colors spread overhead in screamed in protest. Hot and cold clashed in a torrent of steam. Electricity crackled through the air. Something bright flew directly at them but smashed and splattered against the blue tinted shield Magnus formed around them. Catarina stayed close.

Kale rubbed his hands together. A gleeful grin split his face. Energy flung from his hands across the opera house knocking a nearby warlock off his feet.

"Without bringing the whole bloody place down!" Catarina shouted at him.

Alec lost part of their conversation. The screaming and shouting and power being flung around the room too fast to track took his immediate attention. He ducked, pulling Magnus down as he dodged an incoming attack.

"A path?" Kale laughed. "I'll do you one better!" He clapped his hands together, a thunderous roar and all movement ceased. In the shockwave of silence, a crystalline stillness came over Alec. He could see Jiruko Curse on the stage, arms extended, a shimmering green dome over him. The bat-winged warlocks mid-air, wings spread wide, clawed at one another. High Warlocks mid-cast, their faces twisted in anger. Then warlock after warlock floated up, the gravity in the auditorium suddenly gone. Kale let out another deafening clap. A torrent flung the now airborne sorcerers in piles to the walls.

Not one to look a gift-horse in the mouth, Magnus grabbed Alec and hauled him down the aisle. Even gravity-less and heaped together, angry casters threw spells at them.

Kale deflected something slithering and disgusting that poured towards them, snatching pieces of Catarina's hair.

They cleared the doors to the lobby. Magnus put Alec in Catarina's hands. "Go!"

Magnus gave him another push.

"What about you?"

"I'll be right behind you!"

Alec wanted to argue further but Catarina pulled and the two were off. They ran outside, dodging mundane pedestrians, to Kale's cherry red 1958 Dodge Dart. Alec knew what kind of car it was and what that meant because on the drive over, the warlock made certain everyone properly appreciated the vehicle before allowing them entry. The blue sorceress yanked him behind the trunk to hide. It took several moments for him to hear things other than the sound of blood rushing through his ears. "Where is he? Where are they?" He panted.

"Give them a minute." Catarina's eyes stayed glued to the doors as warlocks came spilling out. "There."

Kale came strutting out of the building, Magnus close on his heels. A warlock came up behind them but Kale cracked his fist into its face without even turning around. The two of them strode toward the car side by side.

Alec's heart gave a leap of joy at the sight of Magnus. He couldn't see any obvious signs of injury but as soon as his boyfriend was close enough to grab he launched himself at him. "What was that?" Alec demanded, clutched the shoulder of Magnus's coat.

Kale beamed at Catarina who shoved him away. "Nice of you to join us."

"Did you see that?" Kale was grinning like he'd just won the lottery, eyes bright with adrenaline. He gave a cheeky smile. "And I didn't even bring down the building! Just like you asked."

Magnus blinked at Alec. "What?"

He gripped the cloth tighter, "What did you stay for? What if something happened to you and I wasn't there?"

"I had to take care of something," Magnus reached out to touch Alec's head. "You're bleeding, darling."

"I'm always bleeding!" He snapped. Now that he mentioned the wound, it hurt. Just a cut, but he could feel the blood trickle down his neck. Head wounds bled profusely.

"As much as I'd love to stand around and reenact the Young and the Restless, we may want to, you know, go, before someone realizes we're still here?" Kale said, gesturing to the car.

"As much as it pains me to do so, I have to agree with Kale on this one." Catarina said. She gestured for Magnus to get in the passenger side. "I'll ride in back with Alec and take a look at that wound."

"Good idea." Kale shuddered. "I don't want any jizz on my seats."

Alec opened his mouth to argue, "I'm fine."

Catarina shoved him into the backseat. "It wasn't a request."

* * *

The ride back to Magnus's apartment was awkward. Catarina healed the cut, declaring it superficial despite the copious amounts of blood. Kale's backseat needed a cleaning anyway. Alec thanked her for the help. Upon arriving back at the sanctity of Magnus's apartment, however, he couldn't bring himself to discuss the fiasco. He changed to clean clothes and sat on Magnus's giant purple velvet couch completely numb. Catarina set a tea tray down and handed him a cup.

Kale popped open a beer and collapsed next to Catarina. His arm stretched out on the back of the couch, behind her. "Well, that could have gone better."

Alec accepted the tea with an attempt at a smile. "Thank you." He took a sip, hoping it would help focus his mind. There wasn't any other way out that he could see, so he went forward. "Did… you have any other requests?"

She blinked at him and checked in with Magnus. Alec did not need his boyfriend's permission to do his job.

"I can send the pardon request in, but… I don't have the power to just write off their deaths. If it'll help keep this war from happening, maybe, but I doubt it. I am sorry, Catarina, truly. I want to—"

"I understand the Law, Alec." She stopped his rambling. "Their pardons and a wergild for the humans killed in the battle are my demands."

"Humans?" It took the young man a second to realize she meant the mundanes killed from the earthquake. "We can't create earthquakes. But-" He looked at Kale. "It takes two to fight. We split it, between us."

"Hey, now—"

"Agreed." Catarina cut him off. She held up her cup in a salute that Alec returned.

Alec tuned out the rest of their conversation, staring out the window. The mundane world went to and fro down below. Yellow cabs rushing people to work, to play, to a friend's house. They had no idea what was coming. It was his job to keep it that way. Sipping his tea, the Shadowhunter repeated to himself, we are dust and shadows. Rubbing his forehead, he sighed heavily. He felt a presence behind him and knew it was Magnus before the scent of his cologne hit him. Looking over his shoulder, he was surprised to find them alone. "Where-?"

"Kale took Catarina out. With any luck, he'll stay at her place tonight." The warm line of Magnus's body pressed against his back.

"You think? She barely seems to tolerate him." Alec set his cold tea down on the glass coffee table.

Kissing up Alec's shoulder, he murmured, "He can be almost as charming as me, when he wants to be." Snaking an arm around Alec's stomach, Magnus tugged the younger man against him. "You okay?"

Alec swallowed hard. "Not really." He settled into the embrace. "I don't get—Why doesn't anyone care about the mundanes but us? I mean, warlocks are half human, too. "He didn't expect an answer. He started slowly, unsure he should even share this bit of his past. "When I was little, I used to wonder why we didn't do more for the warlocks. I mean, our sole purpose in existence is to protect mundane humans from demons. The fact that warlocks exist at all—means we failed. We had failed a woman somewhere in the world. Why didn't we do more? I asked my mother that once, I think it was the only time she'd ever hit me outside of training." He studied his hands forlornly. "But… I realized at the Coven meeting, I've got that completely wrong, don't I? We failed her and then failed you with condemnation for your heritage. But, you don't want our sympathy. Pity is almost as bad as prejudice; they both make you less than you are. And you don't need it. You are very strong and very independent."

Magnus laid a kiss on the shoulder before him. After a moment of silence, he said, "My childhood self thanks you for your compassion."

Alec looked back at his boyfriend skeptically. It sounded completely sincere. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling he was being made fun of. To his credit, Magnus tried very hard to keep a straight face. He managed to only twitch his lips twice. But then Alec smirked and they dissolved into laughter. "I know, it sounds stupid."

"No," Magnus said, laughter petering out. "No, it doesn't sound stupid. Simplistic, maybe, idealistic, sure. But really, darling, the entire world is not your fault. We appreciate that you are the thin black line that keeps many of the demons out, but there wasn't anything anyone could have done to stop my father from tricking my mother." He kissed the shoulder again, "Don't feel guilty you Nephilim aren't perfect, angel blood or no."

His words hit Alec like a knife through his heart. Perfect. He choked on the word. The Nephilim had fallen very far from grace. He jerked away, turning his head to stare out the window.

"Alec…?"

This is not worse than dying of demon poison. He reminded himself. The young Shadowhunter couldn't quite bring himself to believe it this time. "I think they expected that to happen." Alec crossed his arms over the back of the couch and propped his chin on his forearms. Looking back at his boyfriend, he clarified, "At the Coven meeting. I think they sent me there to die."

Magnus reach out to touch him but Alec shied away.

"It sounded so believable, didn't it? Angel, I'm such a…" His lips twisted into a sardonic smile. A bitterness filled his throat, making his face tight. "The Clave wanting someone on the inside to help negotiate… promising to let me keep my marks like they were doing me a favor." Alec chewed his bottom lip. "I wanted to believe. In us. In the Clave. In the Law. In helping them and you."

"No one can fault you for that." Magnus laid his head down to stare back over the purple fluff.

Alec let out a breath caught between a laugh and a cry. He could see his entire world crumble before him. "Fault doesn't mean anything when you're dead."

"Neither does wanting to help." He was grateful Magnus did not bring up the idea of running away again.

"It is a terrible time to add another war. Half the Clave wanted to support Valentine. Two dozen of them left with Jonathan. We have never been more divided than we are now. We can't afford another war. The Shadowhunters left don't want to right any wrongs or form alliances. They just want the absolute power they had back." He sat up with a sigh. "And…they sent me in there like a fool to be slaughtered to make you look like monsters… when we have been the monsters along."

Magnus kissed the spot Alec's the bicep he rested his chin on. "With regret, I say to you, I have no ready solutions for this problem. I have been alive for centuries and all I can say is you cannot save someone from themselves." He held up a finger to stop Alec's protesting. "My darling love, you are not a monster. I have known monsters, some of them have even been Nephilim, but you, my dear, are not."

"Weren't you listening?" Alec stared into his green eyes. "Everything those warlocks claimed is true. All of it."

"Some of those statements came from before the Accords, Alec."

_No, they didn't_. Alec closed his eyes, pained. Tea churned in his stomach, threatening to come up. _Face it like a man. Do not cry. Do not cry._ Swallowing hard, he dug his fingers into his forearms, hard. "No, Magnus," his voice became a harsh whisper. "The Accords—don't—aren't—"

Magnus reached out to touch him. "Alec…"

"You don't understand—please," He pleaded. He kept so many secrets for so long, yet this knowledge ate at him worse than any poison. Who could he confide in? Jace? Izzy? He couldn't drag them into this mess. "The drugs, and the demonic contracts, and the fabricated investigations—even, Angel forgive me—trophies." He squeezed his eyes shut as two tear drops fell from his eyes. "I found… in Idris..."

"You don't have to, Alec." Magnus interjected. "Darling, please."

"My family, Magnus." He pushed away from the warlock, unable to stand the compassion in those eyes, he didn't deserve it. Silence was complicity. "In the basement, I found… My father has—has a cabinet..." He ran a hand through his hair, wincing as his nails brushed over the tender spot Catarina just healed. "I don't know when he... he has things—these—awful things— " Alec looked everywhere but at the warlock seated next to him. He didn't even realize he was crying until the water hit the back of his hands. "Angel forgive me, I couldn't kill him for it…"

"Alec, please..." Magnus pleaded.

Alec ignored him. He had to let this out. "There were pieces… Scales… and horns… and hooves… Teeth…" He squeezed his eyes shut trying to block out the images but they were ingrained in his mind, he would dream about them forever. "And eyes… I knew—them—who they belonged to—or in? I don't—even know how to…"

"Enough, Alexander…" Magnus pleaded. "Do not do this to yourself."

Burying his face in his hands, Alec rocked in his seat. "I couldn't kill him. I couldn't do it. I'm so sorry. I should have… and then he started talking about sacrificing you to the Clave and I…" His voice faltered and failed. He couldn't speak any more.

"As wise young man once told me," a warm hand rested lightly on his back, "That you cannot control the actions of others." The words earned a few moments of silence. "Your father's sin are not your fault. Do not feel guilty for not slaying the man, whatever else he may be, he is still your father. Jace couldn't kill Valentine, either. And I couldn't kill mine."

Alec exhaled slowly.

Magnus pulled him into his arms, holding him tightly. "Sweetheart, it's okay."

Alec grabbed the arm across his chest, holding it to him. "I haven't figured out what to do yet." His voice hoarse and soft. He felt another kiss dropped on his shoulder.

"You will." The warlock's set his chin on the shoulder, rubbing his forehead against Alec's ear.

He leaned against the touch. "I won't let him hurt you."

The sound of a smile crept into Magnus's voice. "I believe you. I can also help with that; having been alive for awhile, you know, taking care of myself." He teased.

It dawned on Alec that his boyfriend was not very good at dealing with heavy subjects. He avoided them. He waited them out. He made light of them, staying as unaffected as possible. He rarely confronted them. Except when it had to do with Alec, then he went straight at it. Whereas Alec found himself just the opposite. Deal with everything else, all the time head on, and leave himself, and regrettably his love for Magnus, dead last if he could bring himself to think about it at all. He wasn't sure if it made them a perfect fit or doomed to fail. Of course, he could always change. It wasn't easy and it wasn't a tangible goal, like getting ten perfect shots in a row, but if he could define it, he could do it. He could put Magnus and himself before the rest of the world. Now that he thought the words, Alecwas pretty sure that was what Jace and Clary kept doing. The two of them were a trainwreck, maybe that wasn't such a good idea. Like Magnus said, he should stick to being Alec. And Alec was insecure, emotional, cautious, and utterly in love with his warlock. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"For what?" Worry crept back into Magnus's voice.

"For dragging you into this," He looked over at the man he loved. They'd been back together for three days. He loved him. But did he love him enough to exile himself from the Clave? Did he love him enough to side with the Downworlders and raise a sword against his people? Did he love him enough that if the Warlocks lost, would he keep him safe at the cost of his own honor and self-respect? It wasn't like his position among the Nephilim could get any lower. If he didn't stop evil when he saw it, he couldn't count himself exactly honorable. Alec found he would raise his sword against his own people for their betrayal. And he would take exile with Magnus, if it came to that. It would hurt to be useless, unable to protect his world. But the last five months of solitude taught him in stark clarity, the man in front of him was his world.

"I went willingly." Magnus stood and offered him a hand. He pulled Alec from the sofa with a smile. Gesturing to the ceiling, the lights dropped to nearly nothing. He looked up to see a starry sky and sliver of a crescent moon. The fire from the table glowed a warm, friendly blue flame. With a snap of his fingers, violin music drifted softly through the room. "There have been too many ugly things today," his cat eyes shone back, blazing in the dark. "Dance with me. Be with me here, now, so I have one beautiful thing this day."

Alec leaned up and kissed him softly. A whisper and promise brushing skin to skin. He let Magnus spin him around the room, trusting his lead. Exhilaration filled him as came back to his arms. Together, apart, up, lean back, and turn, they ran through dances from every century. Precise, measured steps led into slow turns, cheek to cheek. Breathing heavy from work, Alec's mind had cleared, focusing only on coming back to Magnus's hands. They collided in a passionate kiss.

Magnus dipped him back, never relenting. The long line of his body stretched above, connected from mouth to knee, desire aching through. Kissing his way down to Alec's throat, he panted feverishly, "Say yes."

"Slowly," Alec's whisper hitched, burying a hand in Magnus's soft hair, encouraging. A trail of electric fire blazed through him.

Magnus's eloquent response was to kiss him so softly, gently, lovingly, it brought tears to his eyes. He melted into the sweetness of the kiss. A pale, pink sky swept over New York before they let go.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:" OMG Thank you SO much for the amazing response to Chapter Nine! Clef and I worked really hard on it so it's awesome to see how much you all liked it! Chapter Ten won't be quite as exciting but it's stuff we need to happen. Please do keep reviewing though! We love our boys! 3**

~Chapter Ten~

"Being a responsible adult really sucks." Alec groused by way of greeting. The redecorating had reached even Magnus's office. A gothic theme had taken over the space. He felt at home in the darkness where all the terrible things dwelled, waiting for his sword to fall on them. The bookcases tapered to a point, crowding the ceiling. Gargoyles supported the stone desk. A dragon lamp and candles illuminated a fraction of the space. A red leather highback chair with aged silver studs rolled on wheels, the only concession to modern necessities. The thick black velvet curtains had a silver glitter spider web pattern painted on them. A red chaise lounge had replaced the pair of chairs that used to sit across the desk. The foreboding decor matched the guilt Alec felt so keenly; he wasn't even sure where it came from anymore. Sneaking away from Magnus in the early hours of the morning only added to the mounting pile.

Luke's hoarse chuckle made him feel slightly better. "That it does I'm afraid."

Alec fell back into the chair with sigh. "I'm sorry to just bombard you like this… it's just... I didn't really have anyone else to call."

"You are welcome to call anytime, Alec." Luke answered. His offer sounded genuine. Since the battle in Alicante, Alec began to see the lycanthrope in a new light. He wasn't just a fallen Shadowhunter. He wasn't just another Downworlder. He wasn't just Jocelyn Fray's partner. He was the one adult, the one person, that despite whatever happened remained steady. Clear-headed. Dependable. "What's going on?"

A wry smile tugged at his lips. "Oh… nothing much. Just a warlock rebellion." He went through the piles on Magnus's desk. He found nothing but vacation brochures of exotic places. Magnus had stuck post-it notes to some in a language he couldn't read. The idea of running away sounded better and better. "I wonder what life would be like if everyone actually got along…"

"You'd be extremely bored." Luke answered.

"I want to be bored." He declared.

Luke laughed again. "No, you don't."

Alec wished the chair would tilt back. With a sigh, he conceded. "You're right. I don't."

"And this is the first I've heard of a warlock rebellion." His voice held contempt, but he hoped not directed at himself. Despite the Downworlders being given seats on the counsel, the Clave still kept them in the dark about anything of real importance. Anything the Clave thought important, which was everything.

"Apparently they are attempted more often than we realize." Alec replied, his voice sounding suspiciously dry to his own ears. "The warlock coven met yesterday to discuss the possibility of an uprising. Apparently the Clave got wind of it and ordered a kidnapping and interrogation... which led to London."

"Ah… I heard about London. Jace told Clary about the ...events." Luke chose a neutral word, but he clearly wasn't happy about it either. "My condolences."

"Thank you." It wasn't that he knew the people killed, but the Nephilim had lost thirteen lives. Some sorrow should be allowed, even if their actions were condemnable. It seemed inappropriate to mourn them around Magnus. "We didn't know any of them, and many mundanes died in the rescue, too. This isn't something that can just be swept under the rug. The Clave wants retribution from the warlocks, who want retribution for the kidnapping and torture of their healer. Everyone is itching for a fight. It's going to be a very bloody play for power."

Luke sighed. "It usually is, I'm afraid." He fell silent a moment. "I assume the Clave Council will be meeting about this, soon?"

"I suppose… I don't know when my father plans to tell them. I was supposed to negotiate reparations with the warlocks at the meeting but I didn't manage that well." _I didn't manage that at all._

"Wait." Luke paused. "Wait. You went to the meeting?" He asked incredulously. "No. Your _father_ sent you to this meeting? Is he out of his mind? Being Reparations Officer for New York doesn't give you that kind of authority. Only the Consul can speak at negotiations."

"I know. At any rate." Alec ignored Luke's outburst. "I now have to communicate the demands of the warlocks to my father and he will take to the Clave." He swallowed. "I just don't know how to do it and what I should tell him."

"Alec," Luke began sounding like he was about to launch into a lecture. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "What happened, exactly?"

Of the things Alec discovered, looking over the last few months with Valentine's and Jonathan's plans, he discovered a lack of sharing important information between relevant parties played a large part in their frantic, messy, inept attempts to thwart them. With this in mind, he filled Luke in on the whole coven meeting, from Jiruko's attempt to bait him, the demands of the warlocks, the stories of terrible crimes against them, and finally the escape under fire. He left out the part about Magnus and Zia.

"Are you alright?" Aghast, Luke demanded as soon as he finished.

"I'm fine." Alec gave his automatic response. He forced his voice to stay calm, trying to play it off. He was a Shadowhunter. He'd done far more dangerous things; if _dangerous _was defined as _stupid_. "It sounds worse than it was; I had dozens of protection runes and three warlocks for bodyguards."

"I don't like the idea of your father putting you in that situation to start. He had to have known they would try to kill you."

Shaking his head, Alec ran a hand through his bangs. "I've had lots of things try to kill me. Besides, if Consul Penhallow had been the one to go? And her the one they tried to kill? We'd already be at war." He licked his lips. "I don't want a war. And …I thought I could help."

"Your life is important, Alec." Luke told him. "You can help, but throwing away your life isn't going to anyone any good. You, succeeding in bridging Nephilim life and Downworlder life, will do more to help than you realize. You are the change they've-we've-been waiting to see. Someone that treats us as a people, not a tool or an enemy. But as allies. A group of friends. A lover. A family. And to be that example you have to live, Alec." His words were met with a stunned silence. A silence that lasted for minutes. Only Alec's quiet breathing told Luke the young man hadn't hung up. He waited a few moments more and then changed the subject. "So the warlocks want full pardon to those involved in the London attack. Anything else?"

It took Alec a moment to push away the idea that people paid attention to him, his life, his love life. Apparently everyone paid attention to him. He could feel his face heating up, even though he sat in an empty room. "Um. Compensation paid to the families of the mundane lives lost. But that will be split between us."

"Well. That will be no small feat, Alec. The Clave isn't going to accept those terms, not outright anyway."

"That's my problem. I don't know how to... sell them on the idea."

"And they certainly won't go for it once they hear the warlocks attacked you."

Alec closed his eyes and sighed. "I know… that's why I'm not going to tell them."

There was a pause. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"The Clave is waiting for a reason. I'm not going to give it to them." Alec would not be the cause of the war, he refused to. He would not kill Magnus. He would not help the warlocks start a war. He would not help the Clave start another war. It was stupid.

The werewolf sighed like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Maybe it was, maybe Alec gave it to him. _Way to go, Lightwood_. "You are absolutely sure you don't want to tell the Clave? With that many witnesses its bound to get out."

"I don't want a war between us," Alec repeated. "If that means I take some hits, that's fine. My pride isn't hurt."

"I just want to be sure you are doing this for the right reason, not because you are trying to protect Magnus. He's a High Warlock. He is capable of protecting himself."

Rubbing a hand over his face, Alec grit his teeth. He wasn't angry with Luke. "I know. He's been alive for centuries. It's not completely for him... I..." _I harbored a fugitive. I disobeyed direct orders. I lied to my family. I lied for my family. _Alec swallowed hard. _I'm as guilty as they are, covering my father's crimes._

"I'm trusting you on that." He paused to let that set in.

Alec flinched, glad that Luke couldn't see him. He felt very certain that he didn't deserve it. Some of those teeth had been werewolf fangs.

"When you go to meet with the warlocks again, might I suggest a more secure location? Perhaps surrounded by running water? With only a few warlocks?"

"That's a reasonable suggestion." Alec conceded.

"You could skip talking to your father and go straight to the Consul."

"What? No!" He sputtered. "I-I couldn't do that."

"Just listen for a moment." Luke soothed. He could picture the man holding up a hand. "No offense to you, or your siblings, but I hear things. Your father hasn't been the same since he lost the election for Inquisitor. He claims that it was due to his affiliation with Valentine."

"If you are questioning my father's loyati-"

"No." Luke cut him off. "I am not in suggesting he isn't loyal to the Clave. I am saying he is looking for ways to clear his reputation. Stopping a warlock rebellion singlehandedly would do that."

"You just said he sent me there to die," Alec countered, "That's not stopping one, that's starting one."

Luke heaved a sigh. The reluctance rang clearly in each word. He did not want to say this. "If you succeed, he can claim the credit for the idea. If you died, he can claim you a martyr to his cause and demand their surrender or face heavenly wrath."

_Oh_. Alec felt dizzy. He hadn't thought of that.

"I'm sorry, Alec. I hope I'm wrong. I hope your trust isn't unwarranted."

"If I can't trust my family, who can I trust?" Alec whispered. He stared at the dragon lamp, knowing deep down Luke was right. His father hadn't been the same. Life at the Institute had deteriorated rapidly since his return. The strain had even gotten to his mother. He needed something to hold on to or he might fall away into the endless abyss stretching out before him. Alec rubbed at his temple, a headache starting to form. He eventually said dejectedly, "I understand if you don't want to help me."

"I never said anything of the sort. You can trust me."

Alec's heart clenched, threatening to cut off his breath. "Oh…" he struggled out. His hands trembled. "Th-thank you."

"And I'm pretty sure you can trust Magnus. What does he have to say about all of this? He can be a real asset to this whole situation."

Alec closed his eyes. "I can't talk to Magnus about this."

* * *

Magnus stopped himself from opening the door when he heard his name leave his boyfriend's lips. Who was he talking to anyway? Not only had Magnus woken alone, but he'd only found Kale in the kitchen. The Canadian claimed he hadn't seen Alec that morning.

It wouldn't be unusual for Alec to disappear for a few hours, but after what happened at the coven meeting, he thought his love would be more careful. Magnus discovering him holed up in his office came as relief. Chairman sat glaring at the door. Picking him up for some affection, Magnus waved his fingers, enhancing his hearing to listen casually as he pet his familiar.

"I can't talk to Magnus about this." Alec was saying. "He doesn't want to get involved." He paused, then explained. "He wants to run and hide in an undisclosed location until this blows over. He just walked up to the Magistrate and said _I vote no_ as his contribution to help prevent the war. I can't..."

The desolation in his boyfriend's voice made Magnus's stomach clench. There was a pause.

"He took the Clave seat to be near me. I don't think he actually has any political clout. I think the warlocks decide whatever they decide and all he can do is deliver their message to the Clave. I love him, Luke. I want to do everything I can to keep him safe and happy. If that means letting him disappear for a while then... I let him go sip neon drinks with little umbrellas," Alec paused and then chuckled. "He meant it for the two of us." He paused, listening. "No, I won't ask him for anything else. He's done more than he's comfortable with doing, I think."

Unable to hear anymore, Magnus trudged his way back to the kitchen, collapsing into the chair opposite Kale. The Chairman climbed up his arm and chest to curl up on his shoulder but not even that could ease how wretched he felt. Alec wouldn't say anything he thought untrue. Hearing the sadness in his love's voice hurt. He reached up to pat the fluffy ball on his shoulder and received a cold nose nuzzling into his neck.

He could cut a very dashing hero silhouette. Stunningly handsome, tall, lithe, talented, quick-witted, magical, and kind to cats, Magnus fit many of the qualities required for the dashing hero role. Except he didn't want to play the hero. It always ended badly for heros. They were pawns, used and betrayed. They slayed the villain, had a parade and got ousted from the society they just saved. Classic Allegory of the Cave. Shunned, feared, and thought corrupted by the knowledge earned through the trials... and yet, not striving for this condemned fate for Alec made him feel unworthy. He wanted to try. For Alec. And himself. To prove he still could. He was simply not that self-sacrificing... not anymore.

"Find him?" The other warlock asked, not looking up from the morning paper.

"Yes." Magnus conjuring himself a steaming cup coffee. "He's in the office." He sipped at it, gloomily.

The paper drooped in Kale's fingers and he eyed Magnus. "Dude… Who drowned your puppy?"

Magnus traced the top of his cup with one finger. He resisted the urge to pout. He did not want to deal with Kale's mercilessly teasing. He might not be able to stop himself from strangling the bastard. He pointed an accusatory finger at the man. "If you hadn't shown up, I would still be vacationing in Venice right now. Alec would be happy." As happy as Alec allowed himself to be. "Very happy. I had it all planned. We would have no reason to leave the room for days. Everything had been taken care of."

Kale gave him an incredulous look.

Magnus twirled his hand. "I don't expect you to understand. I spent the past five months trying to stay away from him. Trying to pretend I could live," he swallowed the hitch in his throat at the thought, "without him. I need him. Thanks to your little rebellion nonsense, he will slip through my fingers!"

"This is exactly why I don't get in relationships with non-warlocks." Kale answered, folding the paper and tossing it aside. "And shit man, a Nephilim? What universe do you live in where that is going to end well? No. Listen for a minute." He held up one hand to stop the protests. "Nephilim equals Angel. Angel equals self-righteous killer of all things evil." He gestured with the other. "Warlock. Lilith's child, half-demon. De-mon-ic. Evil. We do not mix."

"It works with the fey. Half demon, half angel." Magnus snapped. Nevermind that he had made his own rule, after Will Herondale, to never get involved with Nephilim again. Smacked in the face with another pair of blue eyes and dark hair, once again Magnus caved. Perhaps he ought to change his requirements. If he went for gold hair and gold eyes he'd be attracted to Jace. He shuddered. There was absolutely nothing alluring about Jace; he could walk away without a second thought.

Kale snorted. "'Cause they aren't a ball of wrong." He leaned forward. "I know you, Magnus. You fall hard, man. You fall hard and it fucks you up for centuries. What's going to be different this time?"

"He's different." Magnus replied. "Alec is different. I am different."

"Looks just like any other shadowhunter to me. He's cute; I'll give you that. But seriously? You could find yourself any blue-eyed twink you wanted." Kale's green eyes gave him a long, meaningful stare, "With a lot less baggage."

"I don't want anyone else." Magnus snapped back. He thought about it and found he didn't. He didn't want anyone else in the frightening _ever again_ sense. The warlock frowned. He had to stop thinking that way or he might just try that spell.

Kale raked a hand over his face. "Of course you don't."

Magnus laid his head on Chairman. The cat yowled at him and ran off to the bedroom, leaving his warlock to stare after it. Dejected, he slumped further into his seat wondering if there was a way to make it all work or if the universe could be that cruel to him. The Nephilim and Warlocks would come to some kind of agreement over this. Eventually. He sipped his coffee.

"I mean it's one thing to bang a Nephilim. But dude, he's a Lightwood. Lightwoods are notorious bastards. Remember Augustus Lightwood? Svetlana? Or Valentia? How about Benedict? And don't give me your romanticized shit about how he's nothing like the rest of his family."

"He isn't though…." Magnus answered. That was one of the things he loved about him. For a demon hunter, Alec had an innocence, or maybe a faith in others, he'd never encountered before. He killed demons, he didn't like to kill downworlders. That was what made him different from his siblings and ancestors. Jace and Isabelle enjoyed the kill, Alec did it only because he had to protect people. It showed on his face, each time he came back from a hunt. How much of himself he had to turn off and hide from what he did and the time it took to come back, the effort it took to pull him back to himself sometimes took all night.

Kale looked at him like he was an idiot. "Until he is. What do you think sweet little angel cake is going to say when he finds out his bloodline is full of warlock cousins? You think Jiruko isn't going to dangle that bit of news now that he knows who your boytoy is?"

Magnus's throat went dry. He'd forgotten all about Benedict's bastard children. They'd had to kill half of them. Bloodthirsty little maniacs. And Valentia's kids still roamed the pathways, sometimes fighting with the Nephilim, sometimes fighting with the demons. He didn't want to consider what Augustus's ancient offspring were doing. There were, now that he thought about it, several dozen ancestral Lightwoods that dallied with demons. Several dozen wayward Lightwoods. And now the last of them were dating a warlock and a vampire. "Alec won't care about that…" That did not sound convincing.

Kale snorted, laughing. "Any self-respecting Nephilim would care about that. And I hate to break it to you my glittery friend, but there's no way he's going to be diving between your sheets after that comes out. I don't care how much you think he loves you; he loves his people more."

Magnus shook his head. "No. You don't know him the way I do. He will not care." Despite the insistence in his voice, doubt weaseled its way past his defenses. Alec couldn't care about that. It had all happened centuries ago. It had nothing to do with Magnus. Although, Alec might not be given a choice. If the Lightwood's repeated history of flaunting the Law came out, the Clave might brand them all as traitors. No marks, no demon hunting, no more Lightwoods.

"Really?" That one word held an incredible amount of challenge. An inappropriate smirk appeared on Kale's face. "I have a solution for you then."

"I am going to regret asking you what," Magnus declared sourly. Kale's solutions usually required death, destruction, or mayhem. Most of the time all three.

The other warlock shrugged. "Get him to give up his marks."

Magnus couldn't believe he just said that. "That's what we are trying to prevent."

"Why?" Kale pressed on. "If he loves you, he should be willing to do whatever it takes to keep you together. Without his marks he becomes a lowly mundane. No more Clave nonsense. No more what's right or wrong. He won't even be involved in the rebellion. It's a win-win for you." He admitted. "Course that does make him a bit more delicate, so you might have to curtail some stuff in the bedroom but hey, everyone has to make sacrifices for love."

"Your years of solitude has made you forget that love goes both ways. I love Alec, I love him for who he is, as he is, problems and all. I could not ask Alec to give up such a huge part of himself. He wouldn't be Alec. It wouldn't be love if I did. And if you breathe even a word of this subversive plot to him I will rip you apart and leave your entrails for the vermin."

"Ohh…" Kale actually laughed, amused by the visual. "But you are tempted. You know I'm right and it kills you."

"You are not." Magnus growled. It would be like if Alec had gone through with the spell Camille had given him. "If we're on this line of discussion, why don't I just give up my immortality?"

"Why don't you?" Kale asked, eyes bright with curiosity. "If you want no one else, _ever,_ why don't you? You won't be required to fight in the war, you won't be a warlock."

"Trying to get rid of me?" Magnus eyed him suspiciously. "Which side are you on anyway?"

"My own side." Kale held his hands up placating. "I am merely providing you with the solutions to your little predicament here. I think you should dump him and we go about our merry revolution."

* * *

"I told you to take care of this." Robert Lightwood's voice growled. His reproach smacked into Alec's plan of attack, crushing the front line. "I give you with one task, Alexander. And you can't even do that. I ought to reconsider your appointment as Reparations Officer."

Alec beat a blue glittery pen against the top of the desk. Tap. Tap. Tap. Magnus had presented him with a brand new, leather bound journal. Unfortunately, it included a set of bright, glittery gel pens. Magnus did not own regular ballpoint pens. Alec had searched the desk. Magnus didn't own anything normal. He still wasn't sure why he knew Alec needed a journal but he was so grateful to have something to write in he accepted the gift without an argument. After talking with Luke, he outlined the plan of attack, three supporting facts and all. "The reparations in question are out of my ability to grant."

"Then you should have renegotiated the terms." His father told him authoritatively. Perhaps Luke was right, Alec should have talked to his mother instead. No, avoiding the fight didn't mean it wouldn't happen. Attack it while refreshed.

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose. "Father." He licked his lips. "The grievances brought forward by the warlocks are not small in scope. But they are within reason. Plus they are willing to split compensating the families of the mundanes killed in the battle with us."

"Mundanes, who if not for them, would still be alive you mean?" His voice rose in amusement, but he did not laugh. "Alexander, your naiveté may have been charming as a child, but it's time to be practical."

The office door opened and Magnus crept inside. He held a steaming mug in his hands. By the Angel, Alec hoped it was coffee. His boyfriend, in jeans and an open bathrobe, padded over to him, setting the cup down he offered Alec a smile that made his heart skip a beat. The beauty of him always sparked a little joy in his life.

Alec tried to return the smile but found he couldn't. "It takes two to have a fight. We are both responsible and they are agreeing to take their share of responsibility. You haven't heard what their demands are; how can you call them impractical?"

Magnus rested against the desk, next to Alec. Alec wanted to lean into him, but held himself firm. The warlock's hand came to the back of his head, rubbing soothingly at his scalp. It released a soothing, numbing sensation that almost made him miss his father's next words.

"Any demand by a downworlder is impractical, Alexander."

"Not according to the Accords we signed to uphold." He wished he could tell his father to stop calling him by his full name, it make his skin crawl. Pressing back into Magnus's hand, Alec said. "What would you expect? We took a healer hostage and tortured her for information she did not have."

"The actions of the London Institute are regrettable and not condoned by the Clave. The fact that we were willing to hear the grievances at all speaks highly of our respect for the Accords."

"If the actions of the London Institute are not condoned by the Clave, the Consul should have no problem granting them a full pardon for the rescue operation."

"Full pardon?" The man sputtered. "Are you out of your mind? Thirteen Nephilim are dead."

"Thirteen Nephilim who acted without the Clave's permission." Alec answered coldly. "But I, as Reparations Officer, cannot grant that request, I can only pass it up the chain of command."

"That outrageous request will never make it to the Consul."

Alec sat up quickly, startling Magnus into dropping his hand back to his side. "But-"

"What purpose did your little trip to the Coven serve? You continually disgrace this family with this association of yours-"

Alec jumped to his feet, turning his back to Magnus so he wouldn't see the emotion taking over his face. He cut his father off. "My purpose? You sent me. You wanted to know what it would take to make this all go away, I told you what it will take."

"You told me foolish aspirations of a child." He paused. His father's voice bubbled from the phone like acid. "You will go back and negotiate this properly or I will send the Clave for your marks and no amount of warding that warlock can conjure will prevent it."

"Negotiate them down with what? They will not allow me to attend another meeting, Father."

"Send your pet warlock to deliver my message then if you lack sufficient courage to face them yourself. Do not contact me again until you have useful information to provide." Then his father hung up.

Alec's mouth opened and closed several times, unable to find the words he needed to express his shock and rage. He gaped at the phone in his hand.

"Darling?" Magnus was suddenly beside him.

Blue eyes snapped up to Magnus's face. He closed the phone, his fingers clenching around it tightly. "He doesn't care." Alec whispered. "He wants me to renegotiate. He won't go to the Clave."

"Then we will go around him." Magnus answered surprisingly calm. He took the phone from Alec's hand.

"Hey!"

"Darling." Magnus took his face in his hands. "You've been cooped up in this room all day. You're coiled tighter than a spring. I cannot, in good conscience, let you continue this way." He paused to gaze into Alec's wide eyes. He talked right over the objecting faces Alec made. "At least not without eating something. No sweetness, coffee does not count as sustenance."

"The world is going to hell and you are worried I haven't eaten?"

A cool kiss pressed to Alec's mouth. "If you are starving, you can't think straight. So yes, eat something. Fix the world later."

Alec reached for the phone as Magnus held it just out of reach. "Just… let me call him back... I'll explain about the war..."

Laughing, he danced back, enjoying the chase. "Uh-huh," Magnus smiled, finding himself trapped between a bookcase and his boyfriend. "Clearly starved and not thinking straight. Nothing anyone can say will convince him to grant Catarina's requests. If you still wish to do that tomorrow, after a decent night's sleep, I won't stop you." He tossed the phone up and magicked it away. "I have some work to do in the morning so you will have plenty of time to argue with your Father."

Frowning in disapproval, Alec stepped back. "You're working tomorrow? "

Magnus raised one quizzical brow. He explained simply, "You are working. I can't sit around and let my glorious self go to seed." He added, hurt creeping into his voice, "It's not like you are going to talk to me."

Alec stilled. "What?"

"Oh, I don't blame you, darling. You are entirely right. I'm not suited to saving the world. You're much better at it. I'll admire your handiwork and write epic ballads." He wrapped his arms around Alec, speaking into the curve of his neck. "Also, I cannot spend another day with Kale as my only company. So I will be out in the morning, only for a few hours."

There was something in Magnus's voice that didn't sit right with him. Alec licked his lips. He pulled Magnus's face up to stare into his lovely cat eyes. After the Coven meeting, he would think his boyfriend would have better sense than to wander off alone. "Where are you going?"

Magnus sighed. "Are we really at a point where we cannot trust each other?" His cat eyes were sad, like he lost something devastating to him.

"What? I didn't mean it like that. The-" Alec grabbed the warlock's robe and kissed him sloppily. "I'm sorry. You're right. Of course I trust you. I'm sorry."

Magnus hugged him back, massaging the back of his head. He received a happy sound of relief. "Time to take a break?"

Alec nodded, deciding not to speak. His mouth only got him in trouble today.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Hiiiii! I hope all you wonderful readers out there are doing well. This is the next chapter of the story. BUT! There is a WARNING on this one. There is some non-consensual action happening, if this is a trigger for you, or you do not like that kind of thing please don't read it. We do promise Angel Cake will be just fine though!**

**Also, the beginning of this chapter has been taken out, its going to become a side story of happy sexual time for the boys when Clef is not so terribly busy with work. We love her and hope work gets easier soon!**

**As always, please enjoy and review, it makes writing so much more fun! Love ya!**

~ Chapter Eleven ~

Alec woke alone, bleary-eyed and groggy. A note in Magnus's script lay on his pillow. The words _I love you._ _Take care of Chairman and please don't let Kale bring down the city!_ scrawled across it. Crumpling it in his hand, Alec threw it angrily across the room with a frustrated cry. He shouldn't have fallen asleep like that. Now that he thought about it, it seemed weird that he fell asleep. He didn't normally do that.

Alec took a lengthy shower as he tried washing away how useless he felt under the scalding spray. He left the water feeling as angry as he started. One towel secured around his waist, he dried his hair with a second. Opening the bathroom door, he nearly walked into Kale.

"Morning, angel cake!" Kale's green eyes gave him a lingering, lascivious once over. He grinned. The warlock had perfectly straight, white teeth. For someone his age, that meant glamour, or very expensive dental work which he didn't look like he could afford. A stained, brown t-shirt with a red checked flannel over threadbare, faded jeans and paint splattered yellow work boots, Alec started to understand why Magnus kept trying to buy him clothes. If Kale was what Alec looked like to Magnus, he promised himself to stop objecting.

Kale's voice cut through his thoughts. "Wow, those runes really are drawn all over, aren't they? You guys come up with any special runes for your angel junk?"

Flushing a deep red, Alec self-consciously looked down at himself, then held the second towel to his chest like a shield. Narrowing his eyes at the Canadian warlock, he groused. "I—you—wha… Sh-shouldn't you be out causing mayhem? Somewhere else?"

The warlock continued, enjoying the embarrassment in Alec's face. "No," He crooned. "Apparently I'm supposed to be watching your ass. Who am I to turn down such an honor?" He gestured with his finger that Alec should turn around. "I would like to inspect the merchandise."

The flush spread throughout his whole face. "I am not merchandise." He snapped. "Move."

"What's the matter?" Kale smirked, backing off so Alec could get back to the bedroom. "Pissed Magnus went to see the Magistrate without you there to screw it up?"

The towel in his hands fell to the floor as Alec launched at Kale. Grabbing the collar with both hands, he ripped the material as he slammed the warlock against the wall. "Magnus went where?" Alec demanded. Panic spiked through his chest with a dash of hurt. After all of that, his boyfriend lied, again. _Are we really at a point where we cannot trust each other?_ _He had asked. Apparently._ When Alec found his boyfriend, he vowed to strangle the glitter out of him. Possibly with his blue scarf.

Looking appalled at the treatment of his person, Kale lamented, "And Magnus keeps blaming me for when things break. You destroyed my shirt." He grabbed the Alec's wrists in a vice-like grip. His breath smelled strongly of whiskey and coffee. "Your randy little tomcat got summoned to the headmaster's office. Instructions were report sans angel cake to the Magistrate. Generous to be called at all, considering the fireworks last time."

"Called for what?" Alec tried to shake him but the grip on his arms wouldn't let him. The young Shadowhunter was not a weak man. He weighed one hundred and seventy pounds of corded muscle. Yet Kale, a beefy, languid warlock, stopped him dead. He didn't feel any magic. The man held him off by corporeal might alone. Jace had been the last person to do that. "Why him? And why aren't you there?"

"You have a lot of questions. What's in it for me?" His eyes wandered down Alec's body lazily, a condescending smile feathering the edges of his lips.

"My wrath or my gratitude." Alec would feel more confident in the wrath department if he had more than a towel. He adjusted his stance. He could always choke his opponent with it. Except he wanted answers, so the man needed to breathe.

Kale smirked at him, green eyes sparkling in amusement.

He kicked one leg out from under Kale to toss him to the floor and attempted to break free as he rotated his arms. Alec miscalculated the warlock's strength. He freed his only one arm for all the good it did him. They went down together, the Nephilim falling on top. Kale flipped the them over, putting his full weight across the young man's chest. A hand slipped under his forearm and joint-locked his elbow. Alec knew he lost. If he continued to struggle it would break. Submission hold. Jui jutsu. Kimura.

"Damn it!"

Laughter vibrated through Kale and hummed into Alec's chest. "Look angel cake, I know I'm a sexy beast and everyone wants me,"—Alec scoffed—"but you can't just throw me down on the floor and expect to have your way with me."

Blue eyes glared up at the warlock. They stared at each other in silence. After several minutes of harsh breathing, Alec relented. "Fine. Don't help me. I'll find him myself."

"You didn't ask for my help." Kale pointed out.

That made Alec blink. He was right. He had just gotten angrier and taken it out on Kale. Who consequently put him in his place, which he probably deserved. He'd known it was stupid to attack the warlock from the start. Unarmed and naked. Alec chastised himself for slipping in his training and not keeping his temper. He should know there's always someone out there stronger, waiting. He decided right then to cap his ego until this crisis ended. "Will you help me?"

"What's in it for me?" He repeated.

Bluntly, he asked, "What do you want?"

"Pie." Came the surprising answer. Kale's voice turned soft with memory. His grip eased as he spoke. "I want pie. Not the crappy store-bought kind, but home baked with no preservatives. Sweet blueberry pie."

Having never been in love with food, other than the edible kind, Alec did not understand the preoccupation with the dessert. A thought occurred to him. He nodded, "I can get my sister to bake you a pie. She likes to cook. It'll be home made." He managed to keep the grin off his face, somehow.

"Done." Kale released him and sat up. He stood and striped off his ruined shirt. Alec suddenly didn't feel too badly about being out-muscled, the man had twenty pounds of showy, rippling muscle hiding under his clothes. Where Magnus was tall and lithe, supple with grace, Kale had a wide set of shoulders that swelled with each movement. Stout and strong to agile and limber.

Averting his eyes from the half-naked warlock, Alec blushed.

"'Cept I can't help you find him. The Magistrate's office will be warded and my invitation got lost in the mail." The man continued, "So I don't know where he is."

Gathering the loose towel around him as he stood, Alec pushed back the childish urge to grumble. Amateur mistake to not check if the other party had the information needed to bargain with. Jace would never have done that. Not that Alec's promise was pure at heart either. He should make sure Kale got his pie. The warlock would be laid up with food poisoning and out of their way for at least a couple days. Without comment, he retreated to the bedroom to get dressed. So focused on pulling out clothing and assembling his weapons belt, he didn't notice Kale followed him until he dropped the towel and received a whistle of appreciation.

"Out!" He yelled, slamming the door closed on his smirking face. He cursed Magnus for not having locks on his doors. Not that it mattered; he didn't think a flimsy lock could prevent Kale from entering if he wanted to. Hopefully the man could respect a closed door. Finding his stele he scrawled a few runes on his skin before pulling on his gear. His elbow twinged and he added an iratze to the mix. He had to search for his boots. Magnus hid them in the back of the closet. He debated on keeping the demonic dagger, maybe stabbing Magnus with it, but that seemed petty. He replaced it with his angelic runed dagger. A trio of throwing daggers strapped to his thigh, an angel blade at his back, a pair tonfa, and his punch dagger, Alec felt ready to face the dangers of the wide world.

The useless roommate was not around to glare at as Alec stalked toward the door. Chairman Meow scurried into the kitchen to hide in the cabinets at his loud departure. Thinking on it, he added a silencing rune to his arm. Yanking the door open, Alec flung himself outside. If Magnus wasn't injured when he found him, he sure would be when he was done with him.

Two hours of frustrated questioning and searching brought him to the alley outside Pandemonium empty-handed of any information on where Magnus or the Magistrate might be. All the local warlock haunts were mum on telling him anything. Bribes and threats got him no where. He went with the idea that, like the Met, the club didn't have daytime business, perhaps they could be meeting here. He could feel a demonic presence, faint enough that it could be warlock magic. He followed the alley around the corner to break in the back way. He found a mundane construction crew blocked the alley off with plywood.

_New York, the city that is always changing_. Alec turned and his skin began to prickle before he even heard the voice.

"Looks like someone let the angel out of its cage." A feminine voice purred.

Alec dropped into a low stance, drawing his dagger and wrapping his fingers on the hilt of his sword. He scanned the alley. Adrenaline surged through his veins, pulse quickening. Did he find it? Was Magnus near? But he saw nothing, not even the shimmer in the air from glamour.

A warlock with brown hair in gravity defying braids dropped down from the rooftop of Pandemonium. Her hands curled into claws and her grin flashed dainty fangs. Leather pants, a tank top, and boots, she vaguely dressed like his sister in gear. Alec recognized her as one of the three Magnus pointed out to him at the coven meeting, on the stairs. Her hungry brown eyes roamed over him like a prized piece of meat. "I hate that you're so fucking pretty." She spat. "All you Nephilim are so fucking pretty."

That had never happened before. Jace got called pretty. Isabelle got called pretty. He wondered if they felt as unnerved about it as he did now. He didn't let up his stance, still wary. Something about her screamed VIOLENCE HEADED YOUR WAY. "What do you want?" He called.

"Lose something?" She slunk forward a step. Her grin widened when he moved to match her.

"Where's Magnus?" Alec demanded, drawing his sword. _Damn construction._ He did not know why Magnus warned him away from her, but to leave, he'd have to go through her.

"Not around to help you." Her eyes narrowed into dark slits. The woman tilted her head, as if listening to things on the wind. Her voice dipped and rose, giving Alec the impression that she might be touched in the head. "You can come along peacefully, but I do hope you plan on resisting."

For a moment Alec hoped she meant to take him to Magnus, but recognized that as wishful thinking. A second presence flared on the edges of his perception. He spared a glance around and up, but couldn't pinpoint the location. He could hope that meant Kale, but that would be highly unlikely. The warlock didn't register at all and he probably stayed at the apartment, eating burritos and drinking whiskey. Alone in a fight again, he had long since grown accustomed to the feeling. Jace had a bad habit of running off, too. "Come along peacefully for what? I have business elsewhere."

"Ain't that a fucking shame?" She crouched down, readying herself to pounce. "'Cause the rest of your day is mine."

Alec frowned. "No."

She leapt at him, swiping her claws like a demon. He dodged to the left, slashing at her as she sailed by. She leaned out of the strike. Using the alley wall for leverage, she bounded back on him, plunging her claws into his thigh. His leather prevented most of the damage, but it stung.

With a yell, he sliced into her arm. The dagger slashed through her bicep with a spray of red. Backing away, Alec kept a wary eye out for the second source of demonic energy.

"You're going to pay for that."

Something flashed and boomed to his left. Alec ducked his head and rolled away from the noise. He got to his feet in time to see it have only been a fireworks spell. The distraction gave the woman enough time to launch herself at him. Alec did the wrong thing a braced himself for the tackle. She slammed him to the ground, her body pinning him in place with a whispered spell. His angelic blade skittered across the pavement, sliding under the dumpster. Instead of slashing his throat open, her clawed hands punctured the asphalt around his wrists where she had seized them and trapped him. _Second time today._ With a disgusted snarl, Alec bucked upwards but at his bad angle he couldn't dislodge her. She didn't look that strong. Moments from death, the knowledge did not comfort him.

"Oh yeah, struggle for me, baby, struggle hard." She taunted as she loomed over him, tongue darting out to lick across the hollow of his throat. That unnerved him more than he cared to think about.

Arms pinned, he head-butted her and broke her nose.

She reeled back with a howl of pain as he escaped out from under her. The warlock held her face, blood pouring from between her fingers.

Hands freed, he plunged the dagger hilt deep into her stomach. Skittering backwards he let the blade go, so used to fighting demons he forgot. Warlocks died like humans. A blade was a blade. Their blood didn't eat through things like acid. She hadn't died; she had his knife in her gut. Alec scrambled to where his angelic blade lay under a dumpster.

He turned in time to watch her fall to her side, blood pooling beneath her. The woman gaped at the injury, her fangs protruding farther past her contorted lips. She let out a string of expletives. Being cursed at in demonic always felt more intense. Hateful.

Cold energy slapped him like an ocean wave. The second warlock made himself known. Black hair with dark blue eyes and a scarred face that still glistened with fresh blood, the warlock had been in the trio on the stairs. He spared no glance at his writhing companion as he stepped over her body.

Taking a step back, Alec looked around the alley. Where was the third? The blond with red and black eyes. Sage le Brazon, he had been one of Catarina witnesses... He realized too late, "You… attacked the London Institute."

The dark haired warlock stroked his scar, smearing a little red on his cheek. He watched Alec with cold, calculating eyes. Barely above a whisper, he spoke in an accent. "Well… It seems Bev has underestimated you." His lips curled back into a nasty smile. "But I will not."

It happened in slow motion. The warlock flung his trench coat open, hands going wide. Slimy, squid-like tentacles burst from his midsection. Pale skin with little pink suction cups along one side, some tentacles were long and thick, others very short and clustered near his belly button. Mottled with bulbous ridges on some and wicked razor edges on others, a nest of horror shot down the alley at Alec. He learned the long tentacles could get even longer.

Balking, Alec whorled his blade slicing through as many as he could. Like a spider's web, eventually they would catch his blade. He couldn't fight off all of them at once, there were just too many. Retreating as he cut away chunks of limbs, the Shadowhunter eventually backed himself into a plywood wall. A bloody stump slapped his blade down, another yanked it from his hands. Four uninjured slimy arms wrapped around him. Alec had a moment's choice of where his hands would get trapped. He grabbed at the tentacle as it wound around his neck. At least he could still breathe. The others grabbed him by the waist, his injured thigh, and ankle. As the arms jerked him forward, the circle he mistook for a belly button opened to reveal a mouth with serrated teeth.

"You will pay for these injuries, little Nephilim." He said, pulling Alec close enough that he could feel hot, acrid breath on his face. The warlock took a stump in both hands, red blood flowing freely and a sluggish purple fluid leaking out with it. Whispering a series of short incantations, the tentacle grew to a knife-edged point. He whipped the keen edge about and carving a series of deep lacerations in Alec's arms.

Pain didn't flare immediately. Tentacles with razor sharp edges. _Can this day get any worse?_ He knew pain. Every Shadowhunter knew pain. Alec swallowed—grateful to still be able to swallow even though he started to lose feeling in his fingers—and he boxed the pain in his mind. The sharp pain of the cuts on his biceps, the throbbing puncture on his thigh, and the prickling squeeze of the tentacle on his neck, Alec concentrated on breathing through it. He folded the hurt, the weakness, and ache, boxed it up, and put it away in the back of his mind. The slick appendage around his thigh dug into the wound the woman had made, widening it. It pumped in and out of the wound painfully enough to make him cry out. Alec bucked and jerked, it almost undid his work. Clear-headed enough, he felt the slimy tentacle around his waist creep down to into his pants. His eyes grew wide in panic. He could feel the suckers latch onto sensitive bare skin and sting. Renewing his struggle, Alec thrashed and twisted in the nest.

"Don't kill him!" A female voice wheezed. Bev, the other warlock, should be dying. Alec had punctured her stomach, if not a lung. "I need him."

"You can fuck him while he bleeds out! I don't understand why you want this one over any other." The man growled. He tossed his prisoner into a brick wall.

Stunned, Alec lost consciousness for a moment. He struggled to open his eyes. He could hear the two arguing over something, but it didn't make any sense, and he didn't care. Amidst the debris and trash and tentacle pieces—Alec swore off sea food—he caught a glimmer of his angelic blade. With a strangled gasp, Alec crawled a few yards to the crystalline sword. His right leg couldn't support him, but he could still move. His vision slowly began to clear. "Castiel." He whispered to it, almost sobbing with relief when it sparked to life. The woman still lay in the corner, holding her stomach. The man had given his back to Alec to talk with her. He felt his lips pull back into a nasty smile.

"That cat-eyed motherfucker!" Bev seethed. "I don't want him; I want to hurt him. That shit Nephilim means something to him, so I'm going to ruin it."

With every last ounce of strength he could muster, Alec stood upright. Taking the hilt in both hands, he sheared the man's head off at the shoulders with a yell. Warm blood gushed from the wound.

"Rhys!" The woman on the ground shrieked as he fell.

Alec watched feeling sick. A pair wide, dead blue eyes stared at Alec as they clouded over.

"You bastard!" Bev screamed. She tore the blade from her side, throwing it in Alec's direction, but he snapped his sword right and it flew wide.

Alec stepped toward the woman to kill her, when his body suddenly refused to work. His vision turned red. Pain consumed him.

* * *

Kale hated boredom. Magnus's den of love started suffocating him. And since when did Magnus get to run off and leave him on Nephilim guard duty?

He deliberately baited the boy and angel cake rose to the occasion. Following that cute little ass as he stalked the city looking for Magnus gave Kale a much more exciting morning. Bev and Rhys showing up hadn't been part of his plan. The Shadowhunter made good work of them anyway. He had a bad habit of not striking a killing blow on them first thing, though. He needed to work on that. Throwing knives should be just for show, they should be for dismemberment. A surge of pride filled Kale when Alec struck Rhys down, despite being injured. He never liked the guy. Kale could work with nearly anyone, but something about Rhys made him sneer. Alec moved to finished Bev off when Sage appeared on the fire escape.

Of the most dangerous warlocks around, Sage made the top twenty. He wasn't powerful on scale like a certain handsome, green eyed warlock, but he knew how to work with what he had. Stealth and sneak attack skills along with his mastery of life magicks made him a near perfect assassin.

Alec crumpled to the ground. He didn't have a chance to scream. Blood dripped from his eyes, ears, and nose; a gurgle of red sputtered out of his lips. He would be dead in seconds. Kale had no intention of watching Magnus's boy toy bleed to death from the inside. Not on his watch.

"_Agir!_" He cried in French. Swinging an arm towards the blond warlock, Kale released a wave of power sending him flying into the building across the alley. A crack and dent in the bricks, the force of his hit broke the blond warlock's concentration. "Let him go!"

"He killed Rhys!" Sage snarled. He shakily got to his feet.

"Rhys attacked first." The Canadian filtered his containment spell to make a cone-shaped outlet. He had centuries of practice, but sound obeyed physics and even though he could channel it in one direction, as soon as it reached the edge of his hold, the sound spread until the force behind it had been equalized. _"__**TAKE YOUR WOUNDED AND GO!**__"_ Kale's voice bellowed. The surrounding street lights shattered. The windows broke, sprinkling the ground with glass. Car alarms blared. Sage smacked into the wall behind him again, but did not fall.

_Four yards_, Kale decided. He raised one hand and brought it down in one loud clap. A deafening roar and whooshing sound accompanied his spell. It descended in a circle around them, twelve feet in diameter. The dumpster contorted in on itself and collapsed. Bev let out a pain filled howl as her body flattened to the ground.

Sage struggled against the power. He had to summon a protective field. Pleased, Kale watched the bubble contort and buckle under his might in a faint glow of red. The blonde growled in frustration. He could not best Kale in a duel of magic. "This isn't over."

Kale released Sage and the blond fell, his chest heaving from the exertion.

"It is for now." Kale watched with narrowed eyes as Sage gathered up Rhys. Bev pulled herself to her feet. They scurried away like the little mice, leaving him standing in the alley with an unconscious Nephilim.

Dropping down to the fallen Shadowhunter, Kale touched his hand. "You awake?" He got no response. "Angel cake?" He turned the face towards him.

Alec's blood pooled on the asphalt. It seeped into his gear and hair. Clumps of black hair matted to his cheeks. Dirt and debris covered him, getting into the slashes on his arms. Any place the tentacles had touched left small round bruises from the suckers that bleed. The puncture wound on his thigh looked deeper than was good for him. His whole body trembled, the kid descended into shock. His eyes flew open. One pupil was bigger than the other.

"Shit." He stood. "Alec, come on." Confusion took over his face as he stared up at Kale. He noticed the trickle of blood coming from the Nephilim's ears.

Shrugging out of his old leather jacket, Kale draped it over Alec's shoulders. "Don't attack me." He warned, hoisting the shivering body up into his arms. He only had one place he could take him and she wasn't going to be happy about this.

* * *

Magnus arrived fashionably late to his appointment with the Magistrate. Loose and languid from Alec's attention, he strolled into the Chinatown office with a smile. The secretary's and security guards' glares did nothing to dispel his good mood. He would probably face heavenly wrath if his lover knew he'd not only lied and slipped away while he slept, but put him to sleep afterwards just to be sure he could escape at all. He loved Alec, but that didn't mean he ran Magnus's life. If he'd told the man where he was going, Alec would have insisted on coming along or following him. That didn't work out well last time; let it not be said that Magnus did not learn from his mistakes. Or, in this case, re-learned a proven point. Nephilim do not belong at Coven meetings. Especially when war between the two was the topic.

The offices Jiruko had borrowed were a minimally decorated space. White walls, ugly blue and gray carpeting, and dusty lateral blinds, the place had been decorated sometime in the late 80's. Uncomfortable chairs, a hideous salmon pink, like a mundane hospital waiting room, the pair of them flanked a single particleboard endtable. It looked cheap, white, and had probably been bought at Ikea. He hoped putting the thing together gave someone a headache. It was ugly enough that just looking at it started to hurt his eyes. It matched the white desk for the secretary, the thing even had plastic wheels. She brought her own laptop, Magnus judged by the sleek, new design. He wondered if it ran on electricity or magic or both. He doubted she would answer if he asked.

Magnus turned to stare out the window. He faced the north side and consequently got no sunlight for his effort. Apparently, though, there was a big sale on leeks and daikon radishes in the market across the street. The hour long wait gave him plenty of time to consider recipes for a lunch filled with leeks and radishes. He even knew how to make many of them. He considered barging into the head warlock's office on his own. Being immortal taught one to be extremely patient. Most problems simply died out if one waited long enough. It wasn't that warlocks paid no attention to time; some spells required very precise timing. Magnus considered his time very valuable, and if the Magistrate wasted any more of his, he was going to have to start charging.

"He'll see you now." One of the security guard warlocks told him in a deep, rumbling voice. The man looked very human, light brown skin, black hair, dark brown eyes, normal teeth. Except he stood eight feet tall and broad-shouldered like a mountain troll. He gestured at Magnus with a hand that could grab his whole head to indicate he should get his own door. The man on the other side was a slim, wiry fellow. The speed to his partner's mass. Which probably made the secretary a powerful spell slinger, not that all three couldn't be powerful with magic. They probably were. A neat, useful crew of underlings. He didn't recognize any them from the Coven meeting. Foreign talents, he concluded, having no idea who they were. They hadn't even offered him their names.

"Am I the only one invited to this soiree?" Magnus asked but received no answer. He eyed the two door guards warily before heading in.

"Magnus. Glad you could join me." Juriko smiled behind his steepled fingers. He sat behind a large oak desk, in a black office chair. The desk took up most of small room save for two black 70's style bucket chairs and a mostly empty bookcase. The room had been recently cleaned with bleach; its rank smell had not dissipated completely. A single hollyhock plant flowered on Jiruko's desk in a patch of sunlight. The dark violet flower stood as tall as the green and brass lamp on the opposite corner.

Magnus hoped this would be a temporary dwelling. He wanted Juriko to leave sooner rather than later. He would do many things to make that happen. "Jiruko. Good that we catch up. How has your visit been? Are you ready to leave?" Magnus smiled at the elder warlock with his mouth.

"Tiring. Not hardly." Came the ready answers. Eyeing him, the Japanese warlock motioned to a chair. "Please, have a seat."

"Will this take long? You kept me waiting quite a while, I have other appointments."

"Probably."

It had been worth a try. "I won't change my vote, if that's what this is about." He levered his tall frame into a chair. Crossing his legs, he lounged as best he could in the lumpy old thing.

"We're a very independent race," the man leaned back in his chair, comfortable with himself. "If one can call a sterile peoples a race. It takes time for word to get around. Don't feel left out if this is the first you've heard of our plans."

Magnus waited for elaboration. People who sought positions of power liked to hear themselves talk. If he waited long enough and prodded in the right places, he'd know everything soon enough. "Aside from the war? What is the point behind it anyway? Kale seems to think it's all about the Nephilim attitude, the meeting laid out their abuses."

"Isn't that enough?"

Magnus cocked an eyebrow.

Laughing, Jiruko nodded. It sounded faintly sinister. "You were always quick on the uptake. No. Not only about that. We need more specimens. Without their Marks it is easier, more stable a result. With their Marks, unless it's a fallen angel, the core essences are at war with themselves. That's why we had to kill Benedict's ones from lesser demons. Drove them crazy. Something about the human DNA being in the mix to start that does it. Widmere's got a lot of theories as to why."

Magnus processed the commentary. He felt ill. Taking a moment to study his nails and compose his face, the warlock clarified, "You… are doing breeding experiments with captured Nephilim?"

"Oh, no, we have no Nephilim prisoners." Jiruko's smile did little to ease the trepidation grown in the pit of Magnus's stomach. "It wasn't until the fey's crafty little experiment that we started getting anywhere. You know Tessa Gray, don't you?"

"If you've kidnapped her and turned her into chattel, I shall be ever so cross." _And violent._ Magnus thought. _Violent enough to give even Kale pause._

"Really, Magnus, she's one of our own. No. But we did round up some mundanes with large amounts of Nephilim blood for our experiment. Don't make that face. It was a small scale test, volunteers to start. Most of the young men were quite willing to help a young warlock lass get with child."

"Most."

"We did get a few rejections. But we are tracing their family trees, finding the point of origin and other possible cases. There are some of the Coven clamoring to simply enslave whomever we find. It's just a bunch of mundanes. There are enough that no one will notice. Least of all the Clave. Strict orders to leave wayward Nephilim out in the cold," a mocking sympathetic tone filled his voice, "and it's very, very cold out there alone."

"You must have had a success, then," Magnus wondered at how remarkably calm he sounded.

"Several." He pulled out a ledger of notes. "We've successfully continued breeding half-Nephilim with demons. Now it isn't just Tessa and the Lightwoods that are fertile. Another decade before we'll get to test again, but so far so good. It's the younger warlock women that are most promising. Widmere is a bit of a genius. He's made a lot of young warlocks very happy. Five successful warlock children created. Granted, half of them are from the elder Lightwoods, but we're finally a people."

It was the impossible dream a lot of warlocks had. To be able to reproduce, have children, have a family. Warlock babies were stillborn time and time again. Magnus nodded and smiled. "A commendable feat." He meant it. There had been a time, very, very long ago where he recalled wanting to be a father. Watching Tessa bury her grandbabies had cured the lingering vestiges of that idea. "You said another decade. How old are the children?"

"Ah, the oldest is nine. Methias." A certain amount of pride filled the warlock's voice. "Bit of a spitfire. Handsome lad, though. Bound to break enough hearts to give you a run for the title."

"Do they have warlock marks, any of them?"

"Fifty-fifty." Jiruko nodded.

"So the war on the Nephilim," he rounded the conversation back to the point. "Is about making them breeding studs and concubines?"

"The majority of the Coven want them to focus on demon slaying. Only a small fraction of us are interested in experimenting. You and I both know the bulk of us got here through violence. We've found a way to propagate without summoning demons. If the Clave is willing to work with us, I'd like to avoid a war altogether."

"The Clave will never consent to breed with the warlocks. You'd have to enslave them; they would bite out their own tongues first."

Jiruko sighed, "If we have to conquer them like Romans, so be it. But it's not necessary. Widmere has mixed science and magic to create life, Magnus. Semen and embryos, fertilized, implanted in a mother, and with careful guidance… a warlock child is born. It doesn't have to be awful. If the Clave will volunteer a diverse enough set of samples, then it will work. We, as a people, will work. No need to summon demons anymore. Angel-sided warlocks, Magnus. _Think about it_. We could wield angelic runes and demonic magic."

_Or demon-sided Nephilim._ He knew how that went. "They would be half Nephilim, or part Nephilim. The Clave would claim them as their own, if they knew."

"They won't even admit they have bastard warlocks in their family trees. I doubt the Herondales told their children what mix of races they carry inside themselves." Jiruko seemed incredibly certain of that fact. "They won't want to claim them. But let them. Let them claim their wayward kin and breed back in more Nephilim blood."

Magnus shook his head. "No. Even if it were to work, and I honestly don't think it would, there is no way the Nephilim are going to agree to mate with warlocks. Their too proud for that."

"Perhaps," Jiruko pursed his lips. "Or the young Lightwood might be willing to compromise. He is a Lightwood."

"What?" Startled, Magnus jerked back. "You nearly killed Alec after promising his safety at the meeting, what makes you think he'll want to compromise and be party to this…" He groped for a descriptive to call Jiruko's plans. "Breeding program."

"He offered us compensation for wrongs against Catarina, did he not? This is how he can repay them without having to involve the rest of the Clave." He paused. "Yet."

Magnus gaped. He couldn't fathom presenting Alec with this. "I know he's a stud muffin but he's not your stud. We don't even know yet if the Nephilim agree to the first demands presented by Catarina. Adding sexual favors to the list will not help her case."_ The Clave would just love that,_ he thought sarcastically.

"A Nephilim-blooded warlock and a full-blooded warlock produce a stillborn. See, it takes a Nephilim-blooded warlock and a Nephilim, or half-Nephilim; or two Nephilim-blooded warlocks to produce a warlock. Silk Lightwood is trying to seduce a fey, see if that works, although four hundred might be too old. Velkin Lightwood has found that mundane humans produce ifrits. If we want to keep our magic, it has to be Nephilim. Beverly Night was one of our more promising applicants. She's only seventy-three. She seemed quite taken with young Alec at the meeting. Widmere is testing a theory with her, if Alec would like to help. He injected her with shots of Angel blood. Enough that her warlock marks started to recede. We think this has lifted Lilith's Curse. If your boyfriend is willing to try."

Magnus felt the blood drain out of his face. Bev. The warlock woman with the blood lust and claws? There was no way, war or no, that he was going to let that beast of a woman anywhere near Alec. He'd seen firsthand how she could rip apart a Shadowhunter. He'd been subjected to her interest himself. The Marquis de Sade would have enjoyed her company, however briefly, before she killed him in the throes of passion. Another thing he opted to never tell Alec about.

"No?" Juriko guessed by the look on Magnus's face. He mused. "Well, several of others have stepped forward for testing, if not her, your little Nephilim would have his choice."

"He will decline the invitation." The problem was that if Alec thought it could keep the war from happening, he wouldn't. Silly self-sacrificing thing he was. Yet. As insane as Jiruko's plan seemed, it was a way out. Magnus could not write off condemning his people to being a single generation forever. He felt certain the warlocks would never win a war against the Nephilim army, so he wasn't too worried about enslaving them. They might capture a few. The mundane Nephilim, though, they were in immediate danger. Mundanes didn't have rights. They had no real protection. Ignorance wouldn't stop someone from being targeted. Glamour alone would make ensure the kidnapping wasn't seen or heard by anyone. This plan was like some awful Mongol invasion. How the hell was he going to talk them out of it? Magnus wasn't entirely sure he could, but he spent the rest of the day trying.

* * *

Kale kicked on the door twice before the blue skinned warlock finally answered. Her eyes widened in shock as she took the two of them in. Kale carrying a barely conscious, blood-covered Alec. "I need your help."

She ushered them in without a word. She wore a frilly pink polka dot and white apron Kale needed to tease her about later. In the warm kitchen a pot of chowder bubbled on the stove. When had Catarina gotten so hopelessly domestic? She cleared off the kitchen table and gestured for him to place Alec there.

Kale put him down, but Alec grabbed onto his arms, eyes wide and frightened. The kid drifted in and out of consciousness. Kale doubted the hunter knew where he was or who he grabbed onto. Disentangling himself from the Nephilim's grip, Kale put a reassuring hand on his chest. Talking wouldn't help; he couldn't hear a thing.

As soon as Alec lay safely out of his arms Catarina whacked him with her wooden spoon. "What the hell did you do to him?" She demanded.

"Ow!" Kale ducked as she hit him again. "Hey! Stop it! I didn't do anything to him!"

Catarina didn't look like she believed him in the slightest. She raised her weapon again, ready to strike.

"Okay, okay." Kale held up his hands in surrender. "I might have deafened him, but it was totally an accident!"

"An accident?" Peas and milky white potatoes flew as she smacked him with the spoon a third time. "What did you do? Level another building? You can't throw around power like that around humans without protection, not even Nephilim!"

Alec chose that moment to make his first sound since the attack. He sucked in a breath and started to laugh. Both warlocks turned to gawk at him.

He laughed, face contorted in pain, but he laughed. Tears streaked down his cheeks, leaving trails in the blood caked on his skin. He coughed up more blood into his hand and stopped laughing.

Catarina shook the spoon at Kale once more. "Get some clean towels from that drawer." She pointed. "And fill that pot with hot water." She went to injured man, power filling her hands in a warm yellow light.

Kale followed her instructions. He handed the nurse a clean dishtowel. Looking at the pot, he squinted and commanded it to boil. A small boom and cloud of steam erupted from the pot at the instant temperature change. "Done. Now what?"

"What happened?" Catarina demanded.

Skipping to the long and the short of it, the man answered, "Sage tried to turn him into Angel Soup." He offered her the pot of water to dip her towel in. "Bev and Rhys attacked him. Rhys did the surface damage," he nodded to the arms and weird purple fluid.

Catarina turned pale. Well, she turned a pale blue. "Sage attacked him?" She inspected her patient, a glowing hand trailing down his body. The Shadowhunter didn't fight her. The magic pulsing from her hands calmed him; he slumped unconscious at her touch. Quite possibly, she might have put him to sleep. As with Sage, Catarina's biokentic talents could harm or heal. She flitted a brush of power and murmured in Latin as she closed up wound after wound on his arms. The puncture took a several minutes of concentration. A vile purple ooze needed to be cleaned out before she could close it.

Kale gave her the cliffs note version of the fight. He nodded to the viscous fluid. "What is that stuff?"

"I don't know yet. A toxin of some kind. It got in his blood stream," she said and gently cleaned the grime off Alec. "I can't do a purge with him this low on blood. Keep an eye on him. His leg will needed time to heal. Magnus should have some salve that will help. He'll be fine; he will need to take it easy for a few days." After bandaging his leg, Catarina turned to Kale.

Kale snorted, he eyed the subdued Shadowhunter. "Have you met this kid?"

"I'm sure Magnus will be able to take care of him. Speaking of which, where is he? Why are you gallivanting around with Alexander anyway?" She blue eyes narrowed in suspicion at him.

Debating on feeling insulted or pleased, Kale crossed his arms. He leaned on the counter between her and her spoon. "Meeting with Juriko."

Eyeing him suspiciously, she asked. "For what?"

"Hell if I know."

"Did you at least try to contact him?"

"Of course I did." He snapped. "No answer. If angel cake here didn't need help, I'd go find him."

She raised a dubious brow. Her lips formed a line. She didn't believe him. What was it with people these days?

He threw his arms up. "Okay, fine, I totally wasn't. But he isn't answering his phone."

"Perhaps Alexander should stay with me, then."

Kale felt an unusual surge of protectiveness. "Fuck no. You might be a master of life magic, too, but if Sage comes after him again, I'm the only one who can fight him. I'm not putting you in that kind of danger. And I'm not letting this kid out of my sight until Magnus is back."

She blinked, surprised. "Who are you and what have you done with Kale?"

"I am sick of getting blamed for everything, okay?" He snapped and prayed his embarrassment didn't know on his face. Feigning nonchalance, he snagged the spoon and tried her chowder. It was delicious. Maybe they could stay a little longer. He wanted to eat a bowl or four. "Is he okay now? His hearing is fixed and all that? Can he go home?"

Biting her lip, Catarina considered the question. "Yes, the fluids are drained and I repaired the drum. I suppose he can, make sure he stays off the leg."

Kale rolled his green eyes. "I'll get right on that." He placed a kiss to Catarina's shocked cheek. "Thanks babe, I owe you one."

* * *

At no surprise to anyone, Alec refused to take Kale's orders. He toddled along, wincing every once in awhile when he put pressure on his bad leg. Kale much preferred the Shadowhunter on the brink of unconsciousness. He wondered what angel cake would do if Kale threw him over his shoulder and carried him? Probably try to beat him with the cracked pair of tonfa in his weapons belt. The idea made him grin. He might try it just to remind the boy it was okay to lose so long as he kept fighting. Everyone lost a fight eventually.

As soon as they set foot back into Magnus's loft, Alec scurried off to shower. No doubt to scrub away the memory. Kale sighed. No amount of scrubbing in the world would make that shit disappear. He did not want to explain this to Magnus when he got home. He wouldn't believe Kale anyway. Best to let his fellow warlock talk to Catarina.

Retrieving a case of beer, he collapsed in front of the television. He bargained with Magnus to bring the thing back. After all, he agreed to watch over Alec while the other warlock was away, he needed something to keep them occupied. About an hour later, Kale considered going and checking on the blue-eyed Nephilim when the boy appeared in the doorway. His skin a faint pink from the hot water, he looked marginally better. He changed into an outfit too plain to belong to Magnus, a pair of black sweatpants and an oversized sweatshirt. _Hiding much?_ Kale quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Is Magnus home yet?" He asked softly.

"Not yet." Kale answered, taking a swig of beer. "I texted him, told him to get his sparkly ass back here as soon as possible, but it could still be awhile."

"Oh…" He fell silent.

Kale's attention went back to the television. After a moment he noted Alec hadn't moved. "You need something, angel cake?"

Alec fiddled with the hem of his shirt. He shook his head, dropping his eyes to the floor.

Without a word, Kale popped the cap off a beer and set it on the end of the coffee table, pushing it towards Alec. He finished off his own beer and set it back in the pack with a belch. He spared a side glance in Alec's direction and noticed that he seemed to have gravitated further into the room. Grabbing another beer, Kale popped the top off and took a sip. Alec never moved when he looked at him, but every time he looked back, the kid had drifted closer. They continued this game until Kale finished his second beer and Alec had perched on the opposite edge of the couch. "What is this? An episode of Dr. Who?"

The Nephilim curled up, making himself as small as he could, which was something considering the his long legs. "What's Dr. Who?" He asked, actually curious.

"Don't you watch TV?"

The black-haired boy shook his head. "Not usually. We don't have one at the Institute. All Magnus watches is What Not to Wear. I think he's hoping it rubs off on me." He gnawed on his bottom lip, those big, blue, puppy eyes boring into Kale.

He finally understood what Magnus meant about the eyes, they were lethal. "Shit." Kale exhaled quietly to himself.

"He did show me Gilligan's Island once." Alec watched the screen for a moment. Green, out of focus men wandered around a black setting talking nonsense. "What are you watching?"

"Ghost Hunters." Kale replied, tearing his eyes away from the Shadowhunter. _Eyes on the screen, buddy, just keep your eyes on the screen._

Alec asked. "Why?" He looked incredibly young right then.

"Cause it's funny. Look at these losers." He pointed to the screen. "Chasing around ghosts like they are tough shit. The second anything actually happens, they piss in their pants and go running home to mommy."

"Hm." Alec watched the screen, but his eyes were far away. Probably thinking of things he shouldn't be dwelling on. Especially when Magnus wasn't here to comfort him. Kale didn't do comfort. He nudged the open beer closer to Alec with his foot.

"No thanks…" he mumbled.

"It will help." Kale waved the bottle.

"No, it won't."

"It totally will." The warlock promised. The best way to shut off a brain was to kill any active cells with alcohol. Add a couple of Vicoden and the kid wouldn't even remember his name. "It will make everything numb. For a little while anyway."

Alec stared at him with those big blue eyes of his again. For a moment Kale worried he'd turn it down but he plucked the beer from the table and settled back into his corner of the couch. He took a sip, tasting it first. It seemed to agree with him, as he took several sips more. Satisfied, Kale sat back to enjoy his show.

The Chairman came to investigate. The white and grey ball of fluff hopped up onto the arm of the couch and settled there. His yellow eyes tracked the two of them thoughtfully. Like his advancement to the couch, Alec never moved when Kale looked directly at him. The Nephilim gravitated to the center of the giant purple sectional. Kale popped him open a second beer, handing it over, amused. Maybe he didn't need Vicoden after all.

Kale's interest drifted from the show, because as soon as Alec hiccupped his attention snapped back the boy who suddenly sat next to him. "You okay?"

The kid hiccupped again, his cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. "Sorry." He squeaked. He edged closer until he pressed against Kale's side. He clumsily took another sip of beer.

"Feeling pretty good, are you?" Kale asked him with a smirk. He took the beer before Alec sloshed any on himself. "I think that's enough, angel cake."

He whined, "I wasn't done!" Huffing, he added with crossed arms. "And I'm not cake!"

"Oh yes, you are. Cake with dimple frosting." Kale tossed his head back with a laugh. He waved two fingers in front of his blue eyes. "How many?"

"Seven." Alec pouted. God damn the devil and the outer dimensions. Kale couldn't think of anything more adorable than Alec pouting at that moment. No wonder Magnus caved every time.

"Seven?" Kale balked.

The sleepy grin that answered him came complete with frosting dimples. Bonelessly, Alec fell into Kale's lap, using the warlock's thigh as a pillow. He made himself comfortable with what sounded suspiciously like a purr.

"Now look," Kale started, fully intending on moving the Nephilim out of his lap, "I like you and all, but this relationship isn't going to go anywhere…"

Alec didn't move. "But… you're…" he slurred. He paused so long Kale thought he'd fallen asleep. "s' comfy…"

"I'm comfy?" Kale repeated, not believing that for a second. "Come on… up, up." He gently put the drunk Shadowhunter back into a sitting position. He immediately started to lean forward again. "Let's get you to bed, yeah?" _Where he can sleep off the alcohol and hopefully Magnus will be home by the time he wakes up._ Kale liked this plan.

"No." The pout came back. It stabbed Kale in the heart with a knife made of guilt. He didn't think anyone but Jewish grandmothers could do that. Or have good enough accuracy to hit his heart. The warlock thought he'd buried that thing centuries ago. "I don't wanna to go to bed." Alec slurred. He gripped Kale's sleeve, his face in the warlock's shoulder, hiding behind a fall of black hair. In a whisper so soft it barely reached high enough for the warlock to hear, Alec breathed, "I don' wanna be alone."

Stab. Twist. Kale hated comforting people. He was so _bad_ at it. The man had all of one plan: get drunk. It worked every other time. He tried one last thing to get Alec to bed to sleep it off. "You hate my guts."

"No, I don't." The Shadowhunter answered immediately, voice muffled by the fabric of the warlock's shirt. Alec pulled back to stare at Kale with those big blue eyes again

Kale pressed his lips together considering. That plan backfired. He frowned. "You don't? Then what's with the cold shoulder?"

"You slept with Magnus."

Kale sucked in a breath trying not to laugh. "Who hasn't?"

The Shadowhunter made a face. One Kale had not seen before. An unhappy, angry face, he didn't like and had a sudden uncontrollable urge to get rid of it. "But he doesn't sleep around, if that's what you're worried about." _Not anymore anyway. _"I dare say you've got the guy whipped."

"He never tells me anything."

"Who? Magnus?"

"I ask." He let out a little burp, his cheeks turning pink. "He has…" he started counting his fingers but gave up after a moment. "Lots."

"Lots of what?"

"Exes. Stories. Life. Things." Alec seemed to sit up on his own volition. Enough control that he turned his face away to wipe at it. "But he won't tell me."

Kale grimaced. "Yeah, well. He's a pain in the ass."

Pulling his legs gingerly into his chest, Alec cocked his head at him. "How long have you known him?"

"Too long." Kale snorted. He couldn't complain too much, though. Magnus had a wonderfully distracting, vibrant way about him. It breathed fire into his old bones.

"What was he like back then? Did he always sparkle?" Alec asked, resting his chin on his knees and staring at him curiously. "Cause… Magnus glitters. Glitter is pretty. Magnus is pretty."

"Indeed." He smiled and nodded, unable to look away from the kid. His thought process seemed to be a bit off kilter. "Why are you with Magnus?"

Alec frowned, like the question never occurred to him before. "He… is romantic." The blush spread through his entire face. "Really, intensely loving and romantic. He doesn't make me feel stupid for liking it. He… is home. Not home, like, safe, like an Institute kind of safe, but he ac-… accepts me. Even when... I screw up. He likes me. _Me_. Alec. I am short and ugly and weak and awkward and he still likes me. Magnus, who is beautiful and graceful and-and strong and charming and amazing… likes me. He has the prettiest eyes…" he mumbled. "I don't want anyone to take them."

Kale remembered all the hearts and flowers Magnus had given him over their time together. It had been one of the reasons he'd put an end to it. He did not dig that kind of relationship. The warlock had to wonder who put into Alec's head all those lies. The kid had too much insecurity with no basis that he could find. He cocked his head. "You don't make much sense."

The young man studied Kale for a moment, before touching the warlock's face. "I won't let them hurt you either." He patted his cheek. "Cause… I like you… even if you smell."

"Hey!" Kale protested. "I don't smell!"

"You smell." The kid giggled. "Like whiskey." He fucking giggled like a little girl. He dropped his head onto Kale's shoulder with a yawn. "I'm cold." He announced, maneuvering so he could lift Kale's arm and put it over himself.

Logic told Kale that he should just put the kid in bed until his boyfriend got home. His _boyfriend_. Kale told logic to fuck off. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel comfortable sitting with him. He brushed hair out of Alec's face. "I kind of like you like this."

Alec made a humming sound and snuggled closer. "I'm taken."

"I know." Kale had to laugh at that. He rolled his eyes but not without affection. A folded blanket existed on the bed in the guestroom Magnus had put him in. With some serious concentration, he lifted the coverlet and telekinetically flew it out to the living room. The spell brought a small surge of power that leaked through his wards. A crack spread through the glass table as he worked. The Canadian grimaced. "You're going get me in serious trouble you know."

"I wouldn't cheat on Magnus." Alec murmured. "Besides, you can take him."

Kale nodded at that. He could take him. Grinning to himself, he spread the blanket over the two of them and wrapped his arm around Alec. He pressed his lips to the damp hair. "I guess we can stay like this for a little while, eh?"

Making a pleased sound, Alec's fingers buried themselves in the fabric of his t-shirt. He sighed, melting against Kale as he fell asleep.

A disgruntled meow from his side reminded Kale that they had a chaperone. The Chairman's tail swished back and forth. He eyed Kale with interest. "I suppose you want in on this action too, huh?" Kale offered his hand to the cat for a sniff, as to not disturb Alec. "Not that I blame you. I am quite comfortable." He gestured to Alec with a nod, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at the cat.

The fluffy white cat narrowed its eyes at him. Kale patted his lap. With great dignity, he accepted the offering. Chairman hopped onto his thigh, circled a few times, kneading the jeans before curling into a purring ball of fur to be pet.

Kale must've nodded off because the next thing he knew, a lock was turning. The front door swung open and Magnus stalked in. He came to an abrupt halt at the sight of them. Kale held up a finger to his lips. "Don't yell; you'll wake him up."

Steam practically poured out of Magnus's ears. Blue sparks flared around his hands. "_What?_"

The noise startled Alec awake. He blinked in confusion for a moment before his warlock senses kicked in and he saw Magnus. He sat up. "You're home!" He declared happily. The hunter sleepily scrambled from under the blanket and would have fallen if Kale hadn't caught him.

"Easy there…"

Magnus bristled. "He's drunk? I leave you alone with him for a day and you get him drunk?"

Alec blinked down at the hands holding him up and then back at Magnus. He made a whining sound in his throat and held his arms out to Magnus, gesturing him to come closer. The cat-eyed warlock's anger quickly fizzled. He took his boyfriend into his arms, holding him protectively under his chin. "Darling, let's get you to bed."

"We…" Alec started and then forgot what he was going to say. "Okay." His body went lax and Magnus had to carry him to their room.

"Don't move!" Magnus warned Kale before disappearing.

Kale scratched Chairman's head. "Wouldn't dream of it." A second pair of yellow eyes glared at him before the cat hopped down and trotted off after the other two, leaving Kale alone. "Well, this just sucks." Magnus took all the love.

After several minutes, Magnus returned in a slight daze. He had a shit eating grin plastered across his face and fingers touching his lips. He sobered when his eyes fell on Kale.

"He's cute when he's drunk." Kale offered. "You shoulda warned me, though; he's a lightweight. He only had two beers." Which he found funnier the longer he thought about it. Lightwood-Lightweight.

Magnus picked up one of the bottles with disgust. He shook his head. "I don't recall giving you permission to serve him alcohol."

"Who are you to dictate what he does? He needed a drink; I gave him one."

"Need I remind you of my third rule? If you accosted him with your wayward shenanigans—"

"Thou shalt not molest the angel cake?" He held up his hands. "I didn't."

Magnus turned red. Blue sparks fizzled from his fingers.

"He needed someone to hold on to. You weren't here. I got promoted, alright? I wasn't the one that hurt him! Shouldn't you be more concerned with that?" He waved his hands down in frustration. "Man! Why does everyone always blame me?"

"Hurt?" He demanded, casting a side glance back to the hallway he came from. "You said nothing about him being hurt." The blue sparks grew louder and bigger. "One day, Kale!"

A strange meow came from the doorway. A piteous, awful sound of despair cats shouldn't be capable of making. Chairman Meow stood there, his large yellow eyes burning holes in them. He made the awful sound again and refused to be ignored.

"Something's wrong with your cat." Kale announced in case somehow Magnus had missed it.

He poked him in his chest with an accusing finger. "I suppose you had nothing to do with that either?"

"Now what? I'm a felinophile?"

Chairman Meow yowled impatiently again.

Magnus glared Kale. "We are not finished here." He turned on his heel and padded to the disgruntled cat. Kale followed, interested in what could cause such a noise from the animal. "What is it, boy? Did Timmy fall down the well?"

The Chairman was not amused. He turned and trotted to the bathroom door. Again, he made that awful sound.

Alec had somehow managed to crawl his way inside to throw up but missed the toilet completely. He lay in a crumpled heap away from the mess. His cheek pressed to the cold tile floor.

"Oh… dear." Magnus sighed. He snapped his fingers and the mess dissipated taking the rank smell with it. He knelt down next to his boyfriend and helped him sit up. "How did you get in here, darling?"

"I threw up." Alec answered, as if that answered the question. He blinked at the toilet, then back at them. "I think?"

Magnus smiled. He combed his fingers through Alec's hair. "Do you feel better now?"

Alec made a disagreeable sound but melted into the warlock's touch as he pet him. He could barely keep his eyes opened. They fluttered closed and then quickly blinked them open. He repeated this for several moments, fighting to stay awake.

Kale leaned against the door frame and watched. Magnus grabbed the towel from the bar and ran water over it. He touched the boy gently, methodically as he wiped the face clean. It reminded Kale of watching Catarina tend to the boy. Something about this kid screamed vulnerability and trust, yet he watched him behead a man just hours before. It unsettled him. Nephilim were supposed to be ruthless killers. It seemed entirely possible that Magnus maybe, and that was a big maybe, right about this one. Maybe this Lightwood wasn't like the rest of his family.

"I missed you." Alec murmured when Magnus finished.

Smiling, the warlock pressed a kiss to clean brow. "I missed you too, sweetheart. Let's get you back to bed."

"No!" Alec grabbed him by the arms. "You'll leave me again."

"I won't leave you."

"You just did!"

Kale coughed into his hand, covering a laugh. He got a lethal glare for his trouble. The Canadian held up his hands. "Well, you did kinda dump him there so you could come yell at me." He gestured to Alec. "I mean come on… look at those eyes. Don't tell me you want to leave him all alone in that great big room of yours. He could roll off the bed or something."

Magnus narrowed his eyes at Kale, his lip twitching.

"Call Catarina in the morning." Kale offered. "She'll tell you the whole story, okay? Angel cake needs you now."

Magnus looked like he wanted to argue, but Alec made the whining sound again and his attention quickly went back to the blue-eyed boy. "Alright." He soothed. "Alright, darling. Let's get you changed into something less… soiled."

Alec shrank back at the suggestion. "I don't…" He chewed on his bottom lip. "'m a mess. You—… you'll still love me, right?"

Kale did not want to overhear that particular conversation. He quickly escaped to his guestroom. He flopped onto the bed. _What a nightmare of a day._ Next time, he would go meet with the Magistrate and Magnus could stay home on Alec duty.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: Wow! The response from last chapter totally floored us! As always thank you so much for your reviews. Thanks to Clef for being awesome. And we hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

~Chapter Twelve~

Alec refused to open his eyes. At the moment, Magnus lay spooned behind him, arm resting around his waist, his thumb rubbing circles on the exposed skin under his shirt. Warm and surrounded by the smell of sandalwood and Magnus, he did not want to get up. The warlock hummed a song that sounded familiar, but Alec couldn't remember from where.

If he lay like this, he could pretend the world wasn't in turmoil. He could pretend he hadn't been attacked by warlocks, again. He could pretend Magnus wasn't keeping things from him, lying to him. He wanted to sleep longer. His bruised and exhausted body sought the oblivion unconsciousness could provide, but his aching mind refused to let him rest.

Flashbacks plagued him in succession. Pleading with Magnus to not leave. The wrestling match with Kale. The unbearable panic when he didn't know if Magnus would make it back from meeting Magistrate Curse. The fruitless search. Being attacked by the crazy-haired woman with her claws and tongue. The black haired warlock with the slimy tentacles that bound him, and probably would have done other things if not interrupted. The pain. The excruciating, debilitating pain that came from nowhere. It had hurt like no other pain Alec had ever felt. Alec had no clue what caused it and that terrified him.

Magnus's fingers against his skin suddenly felt wrong. Like the scurrying of spiders. Alec shoved his arm off him. "Don't touch me." He rasped in a hoarse voice. He cleared his throat and instantly regretted the action. How could that be so loud?

The warlock's arm receded. He shifted behind Alec, resting on one elbow. "How are you feeling, darling?" Each sound hit Alec like a claxon blaring next to his head.

Alec curled away from the sound of his lover's voice with a weak groan. Covering his ears as he tried to roll away, his head swam. He did not try to move further, with the way he felt he'd end up on the floor.

Magnus chuckled. "Pretty dreadful, then."

Alec took a few deep breaths and opened his eyes. The darkness comforted him. He swallowed thickly. He would not throw up. He would not throw up. That would require getting up. His stomach rolled, empty. One small blessing, he had nothing to throw up. Cracking one blue eye open, he looked back at the warlock next to him.

Magnus smiled, a ghost of his normal radiant smile and raised a hand to touch his face. Alec stiffened. The hand dropped. Gently, his boyfriend said, "Sit up, if you can. I have something for you that will help."

Alec begrudgingly propped himself up on his elbows first, then up against the pile of pillows his boyfriend set up for him. His limbs felt heavy and uncooperative. The warlock passed a mug of something warm into his hands.

"Sip it slowly." He murmured, hands hovering close in case Alec dropped the cup.

Taking a tentative sip, Alec grimaced. The bitter liquid coated his throat on the way down, thick as honey without any of the sickly sweetness. His stomach roiled in protest but after few swallows it settled. It tasted almost like the concoctions Hodge prepared for them. With a sigh of relief, Alec melted back into the pillows. He stayed still, reacquainting himself with the idea of upright and thinking. He tried speaking, again. His voice dropped to a breathy whisper more suited to other requests. "Bring me my stele? It's in my bag."

"I don't see what use that will be to you." Magnus answered, but obeyed disappearing from the bed.

Alec closed his eyes and when he opened them again, the warlock, back at his side, held the pen-like object out to him. Alec plucked it from his hands without a word of thanks. He started to sketch on the only spot he could focus on: his forearm.

The warlock leaned over Alec, inspecting the mark. After a moment of awkward silence, Magnus asked. "Is that a new rune?"

Once finished, Alec sighed again as the throbbing headache retreated with his queasiness. "It's an anti-hangover rune… Clary created it for Jace." His body felt stuffed with lead alternating with cotton. Awareness of his injuries hovered at the edge of his mind, he wouldn't mind if they stayed there. One thing at a time. Hangover first, Magnus second, injuries later.

"Of course she did." Magnus said with undisguised bitterness.

Feeling marginally better now, Alec finished the mug of tea in his hands, ignoring his boyfriend. The air in the room thickened with tension. Briefly he wondered about curling back up and returning to sleep. The situation would still be there when he woke. Except with more time to stew, his mood and tolerance would only worsen. Sleeping also meant dreaming, and he didn't want to do that.

Magnus reached out to tuck some hair tenderly behind Alec's ear.

Alec batted his hand away, weakly. "I said not to touch me." He put as much distance between the two of them as possible on the King size bed. He could breathe more easily without being hovered over. He had a hangover; he wasn't dying.

"Are we having one of those mornings?" Magnus sighed in a voice tired. He looked tired. He must not have slept either. The warlock raked a hand through his unruly black hair; it matted to his head like it did when he forgot to shower. "Honestly, darling, this hot and cold behavior is starting to get ridiculous."

Alec set the empty mug on the bedside table and slid from the bed. He swore he put on an oversized sweatshirt and sweats the night before. Somehow that had changed to a thin, cotton t-shirt and boxers. He felt naked and exposed. The marks from the suction cups had faded to yellow-blue circles decorating his hands, neck, and waist. He padded over to his bag where it rested on the floor and sorted through it for clothing. Anything baggy that would cover him completely would do. He contemplated another long, hot shower. _Avoidance, thy name is Alec._

"Darling." Magnus tried again. "Come here."

The young man shut his eyes and breathed, unmoving. He stuffed the desire to comply in a small corner of his heart and ignored it. Turning back to his bag, he sifted through the contents. Satisfied with a sweater, Alec pulled it on then continued to hunt for a pair of sweatpants, the heavier the better. He caught sight of his boots in the corner, caked in blood. He looked for the rest of his mangled armor but it was not there. He swallowed hard, ignoring the rising queasiness in his newly settled stomach. He spoke in a throaty voice, as if he hasn't used it in days. "I need bleach."

Magnus slid to the edge of the bed. "What do you need bleach for?"

"There's blood on my boots." The fact seemed so obvious to him. Simple.

"They can be cleaned later, Alexander. Why don't you come back to bed, you need to rest."

"No. I need to clean them." Alec answered, "The blood dried. Now it'll be impossible to get off." After a battle, one of the few things that calmed him was methodically cleaning his armor. He would sit on the floor and scrub, and wipe, and condition his armor until the adrenaline and images faded. He would need a lot of bleach for this one. He should have done it last night, but instead he sat on the couch and drank with Kale. Alec frowned, trying to sort through the rest of his evening. They watched a bad television program and then ...everything turned hazy.

Magnus sighed. "Come back to bed for now? I need to talk with you."

A rueful scoff escaped before he could catch it. For once Magnus wanted to talk. "About how you lied to me about where you were going yesterday? Or maybe about why you spelled me asleep so you could sneak away?"

His boyfriend winced. "I was hoping you wouldn't pick up on that."

"Spells leave residual effects, of course, I noticed." He snapped, defensive. With the insanity of the Coven meeting, plus the cloying demonic energy sticking to him from the warlocks yesterday, Alec couldn't ignore magic even if he tried. It pulsed through the healing injury in his leg. _Shouldn't that have been healed by now? _He shook his head not wanting to linger on it. "Well?" The Shadowhunter crossed his arms. "Let's hear your excuse."

Unfolding from the bed, Magnus slouched sheepishly and padded to him on the floor. He wore a simple pair of silk, golden yellow pajama pants. It made his sorrowful cat eyes look more yellow. "I'm sorry I misled you."

"You're not forgiven." Alec snorted. He knelt down and sorted through his bag so he wouldn't have to look at Magnus. His beautiful Magnus. Who lied with every breath like a politician and couldn't trust his boyfriend with anything important. Apparently accepting the warlock attack on London hadn't proved anything to him. Bitter and angry, Alec yanked his weapons from their sheaths and inspected them. Watching his hands trembling from exertion sparked an angry stream of cursing under his breath. He hated the muscle weakness that injuries wrought. Drawing runes on yourself when you were so fatigued from a fight barely helped. He needed Jace. He needed his parabatai.

"Alec." Magnus put his hands over his, stilling them.

Alec stiffened, but didn't move away. He kept his eyes cast downward, studying the carpet. "I overlooked the lie about the Coven meeting every hundred years against my better judgment." His voice was tight with the anger roiling within him. "I will not overlook another one."

"I don't expect you to." Magnus answered. He took a breath. "I didn't tell you where I was going because you would have insisted on coming with me." He said it as if it was the most sensible thing in the world.

Alec jerked his hands out of the warlock's hold. "You're damn right I would have! The warlocks openly attacked us. Going there alone was reckless, you know it."

"I would never forgive myself if something happened to you." Magnus reached for his hands again but Alec pulled back. His accented baritone held firm. "Right now this is warlock business; the warlocks will handle it. I shouldn't have involved you and for that I am sorry."

Alec left his boyfriend kneeling on the floor by his bag. "Tough shit. I'm involved now. The Clave is involved now. You took matters into your own hands and this is what happened. Had you come to be before…" He stopped himself. Placing blame was always pointless. "You can't just dismiss me; I'm in it until the end."

Magnus's jaw clenched. "I had to make a judgment call, Alexander." He stood to his full height, towering over his boyfriend. Having spent his life fighting demons that routinely stood taller than ten feet, Alec did not feel intimidated in the slightest. "This is not as black and white as you believe. Bringing you anywhere near the Magistrate at this point is like painting a target on your back. I can't lose you. I'm not going to put you in harm's way like that."

"Magnus, I'm a Shadowhunter. My life is spent in harm's way."

"I know that!" The warlock snapped. "Trust me. I'm reminded of that every bloody time you go storming off to fight some awful thing. Can't you have even a shred of compassion for me? How do you think I'd feel if something happened to you? Something I could prevent?"

Alec saw red. "The same way I felt searching all over New York trying to find you! Do you think it doesn't go both ways? Do you think I don't worry about something happening to you?"

"I'm an eight hundred year old Warlock, Alexander. Not some reckless Nephilim that goes storming into a situation without having orchestrated the entire event. That's what makes it different."

"Reckless Nephil-"

"Remember how we met? I had to come heal you from demon poisoning. Why? Because you recklessly went gallivanting off with Jace into a situation you knew nothing about." The warlock flailed his hands, angry blue sparks bursting from his fingertips. "And then you recklessly went storming into the Bone City to find Jace _knowing _something had killed the Silent Brothers. Jace's attack plan on Valentine's ship?" he muttered darkly. "You fell off, almost drowned, and wanted to go back into battle _with a concussion_. Need I go on? Curious how all your misadventures seem to revolve around Jace."

Alec carefully said each word dripping with venom. "Leave Jace out of this."

Magnus raised his hands as if that validated his point. "Of course, because clearly this has nothing to do with him! Nothing about you ever has to do with him. He is completely free of any blame. Where is he now, Alec? Hmm? Where was he when you really needed him?"

Alec raised his shaking fingers to his temples and pressed in harder than he meant to. "I am not dating Jace. We are not going to argue about Jace. Jace has nothing to do with our argument." He repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. "You've known what I was from the very beginning. You know what Shadowhunters do, what we are. Of course I got up and wanted to go back to the fight, that's what I do. Of course I walk into dangerous situations to investigate, that's what I do." He wanted to scream and yell, maybe throw something. He couldn't stop the hurt creeping into his voice when he talked about his parabatai. He'd betrayed his oath, his entire family, to protect Magnus. His brother and sister didn't have to come after him at all."You know exactly why Jace isn't here."

"I know you are raised to be soldiers, expendable." Magnus swallowed. "You have never been nor will ever be expendable to me, Alec. Never. I love you. I know you can take care of yourself. But you take risks you shouldn't have to if you approached things with more forethought and caution. You are precious to me. Irreplaceable. Why can't you see that?"

Alec's heart ached. "Magnus…"

Magnus's jaw clenched. His cat-eyes studied Alec. "I don't regret my decision, Alexander. The only thing I regret is that I wasn't there when you needed me."

"We handled it." Alec replied, his pride taking yet another hit. "If you'd told me where you were-or fessed up and convinced me to stay here-Angel, Magnus. If she had told me she was taking me to you, I'd've followed without a second thought." He studied his boyfriend's beautiful face. He picked the most beautiful people to love. First Jace. Now Magnus. "I don't want a savior, Magnus, I never have."

The warlock muttered something unflattering about self-righteous Nephilim under his breath. "You never seemed to mind me saving you and your stupid family from all the messes you've gotten yourselves into before."

Regret gutted all the anger from him. Alec blinked. He tried to form the words, but ended up making a sound of understanding. "Mmm…" He sucked in a deep breath, willing his vocal cords to work. "That's true. I took you for granted. I assumed you would be there. I assumed you would help. It never occurred to me that your feelings could be genuine and I used them. That's... what we've always done in my family." His parents did it enough times to him. "I am sorry for that."

Startled by his admission of guilt, Magnus licked his lips. His shoulders loosened, a subtle display of muscle and bone. Nothing like Kale's rippling muscles. Kale wasn't bad looking either, he could see why Magnus had liked him at one point.

Alec quelled that line of thought before it became an image.

The Nephilim shook his head clear. "I've stopped myself when I see myself doing it. I've tried to make up for it. I've given you my strength when I could. I've given you my unfaltering loyalty. I've given you all of my secrets. I don't know what else I can possibly give you, Magnus." He swallowed hard. "But I can't look the other way and ignore this, not when there is so much at stake. It's not fair of you to ask for it."

"I only ask for you to be safe." The warlock replied bitterly, glaring at something that only he could see.

Alec sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing his hand across his face. "No, you asked me to always talk to you, to tell you everything and not hide from you. Do you remember that? That you don't want to spend our relationship second guessing what I feel and what I want," He slumped. "Why does that not apply to you?"

The warlock winced as his own words bit him in the ass. Magnus's innate ability to say the right things at the right moments usually got him out of trouble. Alec couldn't forget, not with the permanent memory rune. Perhaps Magnus hadn't considered the implications of his words. Or he hadn't meant them. The thought made Alec's heart ache.

"I do want all those things." Magnus eventually said, "But sweetheart-"

"You can't trust me."

"No!" Magnus stood up abruptly. "Do not put words in my mouth, Alexander. Of course, I trust you." He moved towards the bed, his eyes pleading, begging Alec for understanding he didn't have.

Alec shook his head. "No, you don't. You've never trusted me. Even before that mess with Camille, you never let me in. You never share your life with me. Why do you think I went to Camille to talk? Yeah, your immortality intimidates me, but I wouldn't take it from you... It's that she knew you. At one point in your life. She knew you, Magnus. She could tell me things about you, your favorite song, what made you love London, why your magic is always blue. She could tell me about you. All I've ever wanted was to be included. To be your partner." Alec touched his hand. "To be with you and share your life. Your past might be over but it made you who you are. I want to know you."

"It's not that easy, Alec."

"Why is it hard?" Alec rubbed his eyes, suddenly bone weary. "You have to trust me, Magnus. I love you. I know I'm not perfect. I screw up. But... I need you to let me in. Or... I can't do this..." He knew now from visiting other Institutes that in steady relationships, it did take two. Two people to work together for a common purpose. He couldn't put his whole self into the relationship if Magnus wouldn't meet him halfway. He blamed it on immortality at first, but that wasn't it.

"No." Magnus gripped Alec's hand to the point it actually hurt. "No, you are not breaking up with me Alec. We've only been back together for five days." He brought the Nephilim's hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "This is not so terrible we cannot work through it."

"How can we work through something you can't even admit is wrong?"

Magnus dropped Alec's hand, betrayal shining brightly in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again. His back rigid and shoulders tight, he turned away to stare at the wall. He shut down. Magnus slammed the door to himself closed. Angel forbid the thing was sealed permanently.

Exhaling shakily, Alec ran a hand through his bangs. _This is not worse than dying of demon poison._ He reminded himself as he slipped off the bed. He thought Magnus would argue. He hadn't expect how badly it hurt. Deep down he'd hoped for a different outcome. First his father. Then his job. His siblings. Now Magnus. This war took everything. And it hadn't even happened yet. _Maybe this is worse than dying of demon poison._ He rapidly blinked away the burn in his eyes.

For several long minutes the only sound heard was the stuffing of gear and clothes into a bag. As the bag zipped closed Magnus spoke. "What are you doing?"

"When you are ready to talk, you can come find me. But I wouldn't wait too long, I'm a reckless Nephilim, after all; who knows how long I will survive without you there to save me."

* * *

"Seriously?" Kale dropped the 12-pack of beer onto the floor as he took in the glitterless warlock splayed across the table. Empty bottles of booze scattered all around him, the man had devoured the entire liquor cabinet. Magnus only bought the good stuff. The apartment looked like an episode of Holmes on Homes, incomplete and half decorated. It needed a clear tarp and blue painter's tape, but the missing furniture and mismatched wall colors did enough. Even Magnus's outfit looked unco-ordinated and dull. How very unlike him. Kale noted a suspicious lack of angel cake. Unless the kid still lay unconscious in the bedroom, but he doubted it. Magnus wouldn't be out here turning the place into an eyesore if Alec needed him.

Magnus ignored his visitor, attempting to suck the last drops of brandy from the bottle. Giving up, he snapped his fingers. A new bottle of the most expensive cognac Kale'd ever heard of appeared in its gold and silver spiky glory. His friend fumbled with the pure silver cap. At least his magic still worked.

"You know, your couch is missing, right?"

No answer.

Kale turned a table chair backwards and straddled it, folding his arms across the back. This inebriated state meant only one thing. "Trouble in paradise?" He snorted. "I hope you don't intend on hugging the toilet all night." If anyone warned him how much of a fucking soap opera his life would become during this little trip, he wouldn't have believed them. Maybe Catarina would take pity on him and let him stay with her for the rest of his visit. He grimaced, not likely.

Magnus hiccupped, sparing a solitary glare across the table before returning his attention to his alcohol. "You had one job, Kale. To keep Alec"-Magnus's voice cracked at the name-"in the apartment until I returned. But instead you deliberately told him where I went and let him go storming off. This is your fault."

"Hey, woah-woah." Kale held up his hands. "I wasn't the one that lied to him. Maybe if you spent more time actually communicating instead of fucking like rabbits-"

"Don't pretend like you know him," The sullen warlock mumbled. "What I choose to disclose in my relationship is my business."

Kale rolled his eyes. "I don't have to be Dr. Phil to know what's wrong in that statement." He'd spent an evening with the completely inebriated Nephilim. An extremely insecure inebriated Nephilim. Drunken ramblings weren't exactly a telltale to issues, but they certainly helped one's case. With all the uninhibited, brutally honest confessions alcohol generally unleashed. Someone had screwed that kid up something awful.

Magnus dropped his forehead onto the table, moaning. "I've ruined it; I've lost him." He started to repeatedly slam his head against the hardwood. "It took me a lifetime to find him and now he's gone. Why, oh why is the universe so cruel?" He raised a fist to the ceiling and shook it.

_At least the blame landed squarely on the guilty party this time_, Kale thought. The drastic change in mood made him worry. "Yeah well, you can always keep him as a spoil of war and lock him in your room. Isn't that what you want?"

"That's not funny."

"Neither is wallowing like a depressed elephant in your own self-pity. We have too much shit to do and you're no use to me or Alec like this. Where is he anyway?"

Magnus pouted. He actually freaking pouted. Not as cute as his boyfriend, but damn, it stabbed Kale through his dead and buried heart, too. Sad little cat eyes and a put-out bottom lip on a face too old for it to be quite right turned to him. "I don't know…"

"Well, you better fucking find him before Sage does!"

That finally got the warlock's attention. "Sage?" He sat up. "What about Sage?"

Kale blinked. "Didn't you call Catarina this morning?"

"I was busy." Magnus replied snarkily. A good sign, because it meant he finally started coming back to himself. "What with my world coming to an end and all."

"Right. Whatever." Kale rolled his eyes. "Your boy toy took on Bev and Rhys. Rhys bit it. He would have killed Bev, too, if Sage hadn't stepped in. He is pretty pissed about his boyfriend lacking a head, the actual head with eyeballs, not the other one."

Magnus paled. "All three of them? He faced all three of them alone? Where the hell were you?" His face flushed as suddenly as it paled. "One day, Kale!" He swiped his arm across the table sending empty bottles clamoring and shattering to the floor. "He's not indestructible like you!"

"He's not as breakable as you think. Okay, Sage is out of his league, but he could handle the other two. Well, until the tentacle thing. Those surprise everyone." Kale shuddered at the memory. He eyed Magnus and prepared a defensive shield spell in the corner of his mind. "Your boy almost got raped. I'm pretty sure that was the intent behind their attack."

The realization that came over Magnus's face made Kale wonder. That information made a lot of sense to him, more than it should have. "No, no, no… they wouldn't…" He slapped a palm against the table. "How could I have not noticed? He didn't say anything…"

Kale raised a quizzical brow. "Dude… of course, he didn't; would you have said anything?"

"You didn't think that was important enough to tell me as soon as I got home?" Magnus demanded incredulously, once again throwing blame in his face.

The lights in the room flickered. Kale reminded himself to stay calm. Two angry warlocks in small confines would be bad. He closed his green eyes and took a slow breath. Someone had to be the adult. Relationships always fucked Magnus up too easily which by default promoted Kale. "You were too busy accusing _me_ of compromising his virtue. You wouldn't have heard me if I tried."

Magnus looked like he wanted to argue. He opened and then closed his mouth. Kale suppressed his desire to smirk in his rightness. "You could've… told me this morning or something."

"What did the Magistrate want, anyway?" He changed the direction of the conversation, now that he had the other warlock's attention.

"Like you don't know." The accusation slapped into Kale's face. Again. "That was an underhanded spectacle even for you. Baiting Alec like that to get him out in the open so they could take him from under my nose. And after I've welcomed you into my home!"

"Hey! Woah. Woah." Kale held up his hands. "I swear to you man, I didn't know that was going to happen. I was just as surprised as Alec." He clenched his jaw. A flighty, mercurial Magnus Kale knew how to handle. He did not enjoy this temperamental, possessive Magnus. He'd only taken that one cute brunette for a spin. She wanted to go. He couldn't still be all pissed off over that. It had been centuries ago. "Mind telling me exactly what you are accusing me of this time?" He couldn't stop himself this time. The wine goblets hanging over the stove shattered, as well as the glass doors over the cabinets.

Magnus scrubbed his hands across his face. His normally pristine fingernails chipped. "The Breeding Program. It's been going on for years. Don't tell me you've known nothing about it." His fingers slid down so he could cast a withering glare at his friend. "And would you mind not destroying my kitchen?"

"You can afford to fix it." Kale snapped. "And what the fuck are you talking about? What breeding program? Breeding what?"

"They've been experimenting with demon and angel blood, trying to find the right combination to allow warlocks to reproduce. They don't want to go to war to take over, they mean to subjugate the Nephilim and use them as breeding partners. That's what they want Alec for, to provide a specimen for their latest set of trials."

Kale frowned. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I wish I were." Magnus replied, subdued now. "They found out about Tessa's children, now they want the same."

"Tessa's ...children?" Kale remembered Tessa; he'd met her once when visiting Magnus in London. Cute kid. Sad eyes. She told some amazing stories.

"She is half demon, half Nephilim. She kept her warlock powers and her children possessed Nephilim blood. They were mortal, though... I don't know if they ever developed any magic. Jiruko feels confident that with enough trial and error they can perfect it." Magnus frowned at him. "That's been your plan all along, hasn't it? To divide us and deliver Alec to the Magistrate?"

"Oh, please." Kale felt insulted enough that he grabbed the bottle of brandy and took a swig. He licked his lips, looking the label over. Magnus only drank the good stuff. He'd have to find this place and get his own stash. "If I wanted that kid I would just take him."

Magnus snapped his mouth shut, knowing full well the truth in that statement.

"Look, I don't give a shit about the Magistrate's breeding party. One of the bonuses of being a Warlock, I don't have to pay alimony. I just wanted to get in on kicking some Nephilim ass. Whole thing sounds skeezy to me. Believe it or not we're on the same side here, pal." He crossed his arms. "At any rate, I would suggest you get angel cake back here, Rhys had this purple goo coming out of those tentacles. Catarina couldn't fix everything because he'd lost too much blood."

Magnus buried his fingers into his hair. "Again. Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I didn't know you two were going to have a spat! That kid should still be passed out in bed, not out in the city."

"He'll go back to the Institute… he has to." Magnus mumbled more to himself than to Kale. "He wouldn't be so careless, not if he knew he was being tracked."

"I doubt he knows; he never saw Sage."

Magnus stopped paying attention to him. His phone appeared in his hands and he tapped it. He held the phone to his ear for a moment before his face fell. "I love you. Alec. Darling, listen I know you are angry with me, but please, wherever you are, go to the Institute and stay there. Let me know when you get there, please? I love you…" He shut his phone. "He's not answering."

Kale rolled his eyes. "Then do your tracking spell."

The cat-eyed warlock cast him a suspicious eye. "Why do you suddenly care so much about Alec anyway? You wanted him gone."

"We bonded." Kale answered with a huff. "Or whatever. Anyway. Without him, you are even more of a pain in my ass; so it's better when he's around to distract you."

Magnus rose to his feet in a flourish that did not mirror how much alcohol he'd ingested in a very short amount of time. He followed his friend into the bedroom, watching bored as he searched amidst the rubble for something of Alec's. Why didn't use himself as the basis, Kale wasn't quite sure, they screwed enough that he should still have some bits of Alec in him. Magnus settled on a piece of clothing.

"So you find him, then what?"

"Beg him to take me back, of course."

"And the poison?"

"We'll get to it."

Kale shook his head. Magnus had no sense of priorities.

* * *

"You look like hell." Jace informed him as he slid into the booth across from Alec. After wandering the city unseen, the loneliness overcame his pride. He went to the one place that felt as close to home as the Institute: Taki's. Unlike going to the Institute, Taki's food didn't try to kill him.

Alec frowned. "I thought Isabelle was meeting me."

"She got tied up." His adopted brother announced, stretching his arm out over the back of the booth. "Don't look so disappointed. You know you miss me." The holy fire had receded to a fey-like golden skin tone. With the blonde hair and gold eyes, he started to look a bit like Zia Deprave, less metallic gold, though. Jace wore deep black leather gear instead of her deep black alien eyes.

Alec closed his eyes and sighed. "Of course I miss you." He admitted, against his better judgment. What would Magnus say about that? Nothing good.

"See? Now, tell me what's going on. Why are you here at Taki's and not with your boyfriend?"

Rubbing his hands over his face, Alec grimaced. His leg throbbed with the exertion of walking about the city. He supposed it served him right. After all, both Catarina and Kale warned him to stay off it. But shouldn't the healing spells have taken care of it? He should ask Jace to draw him a healing rune. "I don't want to talk about it."

Jace drummed his fingers on the table top. "I, the great Jace Lightwood, am here to help. If you don't tell me, I will beat it out of you. You already look like you've been through the ringer, so I'd rather not."

"Violence is your only solution..." Alec leaned his cheek against his hand with a sigh. He didn't like the pattern he saw with that statement. Violence seemed to be everyone's solution to everything. "Why don't you talk? I know where I've been the past few days, where have you been?"

Jace made a face. "Waiting to hear from you obviously… mister informant." At the awkward silence that followed, he added, "Look, you can keep whatever you want from the Clave, but not from me, we're Parabatai."

Dumping another sugar packet into his already overly sweet coffee Alec took his time answering. "Funny how suddenly that means something to you." Alec muttered, frowning into his mug. His stomach fluttered uneasily. He reconsidered the idea of drinking and set the mug back down.

Jace had the nerve to look slighted. "Hey, it's always meant something to me."

"When it suits your needs. Where is Clary anyway? Shouldn't you be following her around like lost puppy?"

The blond sneered at him. "For your information Clary is in Idris, with her mother for a few weeks."

"Ah." Alec raised his brow in understanding before dumping another packet into his coffee. The white powder swirled and quickly dissolved. He wished the queasiness in his gut would dissipate that quickly. Something didn't feel right. He couldn't explain it. He rubbed absently at the throbbing in his leg. His heart skipped a beat before pounding twice as fast. Sweat beaded on his brow.

"Alec." Jace said loudly, in the tone of having repeated it several. "Are you listening to me?"

Alec sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I don't …feel good." He tugged at the collar of his sweatshirt. The restaurant became unusually hot.

Jace snorted. "You look like you are going to spew your guts on the table."

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath Alec considered the option. Heaving himself up and staggering to the bathroom seemed like an exhausting feat. He couldn't imagine doing it.

"When was the last time you ate? Maybe you need to eat something."

Alec swallowed thickly. He dismissed any plan that involved eating anytime soon. "No." He croaked.

Jace's gold eyes widened in alarm. "What's wrong with you? Does this have something to do with what happened yesterday?"

Stiffening, Alec eyed his brother warily. "What?"

"I felt..." He replied, defensive now. "You can't tell me it was nothing."

Alec wanted to drop his forehead to the table. Now all of a sudden Jace felt things through their bond? Magnus would call that convenient. Maybe he'd use finger air quotes too. "It's nothing…." He insisted. "I just had too much to drink last night." He couldn't tell Jace he felt no closer to him now than any other Nephilim. Despite the rune that linked them together. He'd hoped, when they decided to become Parabatai, it would strengthen their relationship. Yet all Jace did was lie to him. All he did was keep him at arm's length. The only person Jace truly cared about was Clary. That knowledge used to hurt, but now he only felt numb.

The phone in his pocket vibrated. _Speaking of liars..._ Alec ignored it. If it was Magnus he didn't want to talk to him yet. He was still too angry. If it was Izzy, she knew where to find him. The hope bubbling in his chest at the thought of it being Magnus made him feel worse. He needed to accept the possibility that Magnus might not come after him. For centuries Magnus lived his life the same way. What made Alec think that he deserved to have him change for him?

"We have a rune for that." Jace reminded him.

"I tried it…" Alec brought his hand to his face, dizzy now.

His parabatai went silent for a moment. "So if you're here then…does that mean you are ready to come home? Because Dad is gone. He went back to Idris for council meetings."

A spark of hope hit Alec like a breath of fresh air. "Council meetings? Are they convening about the warlock's demands?" Perhaps he owed his father an apology.

"What demands?"

Alec slumped. Of course not. "For reparations at kidnapping Ms. Loss. She wanted... her rescuers to be pardoned and the split the payment ...for the Mundanes killed."

Jace leaned forward, looming in and out of focus. "We can go to the Consul together, screw Dad and his political crap. We've done it before and we can do it again."

_Not without Magnus. _Alec wanted to remind him. A trickle of unease quickly built into knot in his throat. It took him a moment to be able to swallow. It felt like every eye in the restaurant was on him, even though when he looked it was mostly empty. He clenched his fists. Something was very wrong.

"Alec?" Jace waved a hand in front of him. "Maybe I ought to just get you home. Sleep it off? We can go tomorrow."

Alec gasped, eyeing the tiny restaurant warily. His pulse continued to quicken until Jace's voice faded out entirely. Images feathered in and out of focus. The sunlight streaming in from the restaurant windows shone so brightly it hurt his eyes. Then he caught sight of her. The medusa like braids that stuck out in all directions. She grinned at him, a promise, licking her lips.

Alec struggled to back away in his seat and would have collapsed to the floor if strong arms hadn't caught him. The room pitched to one side and warped. Focusing on anything long enough was painful. He needed to warn Jace about Bev. He needed to protect his little brother from her claws. And her friend. He couldn't let Jace be hurt; he was the only little brother he had left.

"Easy." Jace's voice was soft and soothing. "Easy, Alec." He put a hand to his parabatai's face. "By the Angel, Alec, you are burning up."

"There!" Alec forced out, pointing his shaking hand in the direction of the warlock, but she wasn't there anymore. "Wha?"

"Come on." Jace's arm secured itself around his waist. His brother shouldered most of his weight, shuffling them towards the door. "I've got you. It's okay, Alec."

The trip to the Institute went by in flashes. Flashes of trees, the honking of horns, the stink of the New York Streets and he could hear snippets of angry phone conversation. Alec couldn't focus on any one thing. Jace manhandled him into the Institute elevator, leaning him back against the side. "Just hang on a few more minutes, brother. I'll get you to bed."

Alec couldn't speak even if he wanted to. It took every ounce of concentration he had to remain upright. The pain in his leg continued to intensify to now an almost unbearable hot, searing pain. Someone had filled it with slag. He was sure of it. Like that warlock movie, the one with the claws and experiments and cool code names. Filling his body with molten metal, starting in his leg.

"Jace!" His sister's voice floated into the elevator as soon as the doors slid open. "By the Angel! What happened?"

Ducking back under Alec's arm, Jace helped him out into the hallway. "Help me get him to bed will you? He needs some healing runes. Lots of healing runes."

Isabelle appeared at his other side. The sweet smell of her lavender perfume assaulted him. "Welcome home, big brother." Her arm around him felt sturdy and secure. His siblings spoke back and forth to each other, about him, but he couldn't focus on the words long enough to understand the conversation. He recognized his mother's name, the Consul, and demon poison.

Jace lowered him onto the bed, checking his forehead again while Isabelle took off his shoes. "We're going to take care of you, okay?"

Then Alec remembered nothing.


	13. Chapter 13

OMG we are SO sorry it took so long for this chapter. It was quite honestly a pain in the ass to write, then it had to be revised a few times, then poor Clef got crazy busy with work. We sincerely apologize!

On a second note, Clef and I are now a part of this awesome tumblr rpg called thefourthdimension-rpg. You should totally check it out! And there are a ton of characters open. Psst...that means you should apply! You can find me at angelcake-alec and Clef is highwarlockbane-4thdimension. That's right! So...go see it!

Aaaaannnddd while we are talking about tumblr, my personal tumblr is squishlette ^^

Special thanks to Clef for being awesome always! Please review and enjoy! We love you!

**~Chapter Thirteen~**

Kale had disappeared, not that his absence meant anything. The Canadian warlock came and went as he pleased. Magnus assumed he went home to check on things. The only reason Canada remained a demon-free area was because he guarded it with a ferocity that put the Clave to shame. He supposed he should talk to Kale about exactly how he managed it. Having less demons around would do wonders for his social life, not to mention Alec's.

Magnus did not sleep that night. He paced his apartment nervously. He picked up a book only to put it down a few second of skimming it over and moving on to another. As he paced, small piles of books appeared in flat surfaces. A random, undiscerning selection from his office made its way into nearly every corner of the apartment as he waited with bated breath, phone in hand, for word from Alec. A truth, that if ever brought to light, would be immediately extinguished. _The High Warlock of Brooklyn pined for no one. _Not even blue-eyed, dark haired Nephilim with dimples. Especially not them.

Chairman Meow sneezed.

Magnus glared at the feline for his commentary. "I suppose you think I ought to storm over to the Institute and demand to see him?" His tracking spell found Alec to the New York Institute, where he remained all night. His spell could not indicate the Nephilim's emotional state of forgiveness. Or health. All calls and messages requesting any information remained unanswered.

The cat's tail swished impatiently, a disgruntled twitch in his whiskers.

"Well." Magnus began, folding his hands in front of him. "Dare I say, it's not that easy. One must learn to choose his battles wisely. Angering Alexander further will only add fuel to this ridiculous fire."

Unimpressed, the Chairman yawned. Hopping off the table, the little fur ball padded off to find some soft place to retire, leaving Magnus to wallow in his misery alone.

Running a weary hand through his clumped and wilting hair he sighed. He caught a look at himself in the window. _I need a hot shower and a few hours of preening. If Alec called and I looked like this... _Magnus rubbed his eyes. There was no make up to smear, only dark circles. He picked up his phone and glared at it, willing it to ring. Unfortunately, all he received was a buzz at his door. The shrill noise destroyed the disquiet calm in his loft. Glancing at the clock, Magnus frowned. Who would be brave-no, stupid enough-to disturb him at such an early hour? He stalked to his door. Into the intercom he yelled, "Unless you are a blue-eyed, dark haired man that answers to the name Alexander, you'd better LEAVE!"

"It's Catarina! Let me up!" She demanded.

Magnus perked up, finally someone who would provide some sympathy to his broken heart. He hit the buzzer to let her up and waited with at the open door.

She took the rickety stairs two at a time. In her hurry, Catarina greeted Magnus with, "Is Alec not here?"

His face fell. He leaned against the doorway, pretending to be nonchalant. He crossed his arms and looked at the ground. "Alexander went to spend some time with his family."

"You know where..." She nodded and caught her breath. "Well, don't just stand there! Get dressed and get over there!"

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "Warlocks are no longer welcome there. Besides…" he twirled his hand. "That would completely defeat the point Alec is apparently making about wanting space."

"Whatever tiff you are in is going to have to wait!" She snapped. "Unless you want him dead. Rhys is dead, but his poison isn't! He shot Alec full of it. I healed the initial outer damage, but he'd lost too much blood... To purge him right then would have killed him."

Magnus's sleep deprived mind took a moment to register what his friend told him. "Wait… He seemed fine yesterday when he left." He knew Rhys classified as a powerful warlock, but he knew little else about him. Kale knew him. His anger returned. Kale. This was all his fault. His fingers twitched, eager to strangle the Canadian.

"He probably felt fine, it's a slow acting poison, it infects the blood stream he wouldn't know anything was wrong until the fever hit."

His world tilted on its axis as realization hit. Could this be why Alec never responded to him? Could he be on the brink of death without Magnus even knowing? A shiver went through him. Oh, he certainly could. The fight with Bev, Rhys and Sage proved that love was not a parabatai bond.

Magnus stumbled back a step as Catarina brushed past him into the apartment. He quickly conjured himself a pair of jeans and shirt before joining her in the kitchen, throat dry and jaw tight. "How do we stop it?"

Before she could answer, his phone rang. Magnus's heart skipped a beat when he saw Alec's name flash on his phone. Perhaps he'd been too hasty. He answered it quickly. "Darling-"

"It's Isabelle." Came the clipped response.

Dread washed over him. Unless the Lightwood called to tell him Alec finally realized he simply couldn't live without his favorite warlock or that she demanded Magnus come and retrieve her brother so he couldn't mope about the Institute, which he doubted. This would not be good news. In a carefully neutral voice he asked, "Isabelle, why have you stolen your brother's phone?"

"Alec is sick." She answered, straight to the point. "He has a fever and it's only gotten worse. Our healing runes burn away the second they touch his skin; nothing is working." She took in a shaky breath. "Jace and I are the only ones here; we don't know what to do." The desolation in her voice reminded Magnus of when he'd arrived at the Institute to heal Alec before. How many times did the poor girl have to make calls like this?

"I'm aware of the situation… I'm already on the way."

Catarina touched his arm. "They have those blood replacement runes, right? Have her put those on him until we get there. Having the extra volume will dilute the poison until you can burn it from his blood. He'll need them."

Nodding he relayed the information to the Nephilim, promised to hurry and hung up.

"You'll have to use Hellfire."

"Hellfire?" Magnus blanched. "It's been centuries since I've used such dark magic. I don't know if I even remember how."

"Uh," Catarina fumbled through her purse. She produced a small, brown, harmless looking spellbook. She thrust it into Magnus's hands. "It's just like riding a horse. It'll come back quickly. That's the only way to remove the poison and not his blood. You could let the poison kill him, but it is a bad way to die."

Wincing, Magnus weighed the book in his hands. He hadn't thought about hellfire since he'd last spoken to his father. It put a bitter taste in his mouth. He shook his head. "The pain will be excruciating."

"No more than what he's going through right now." The hard reality of her statement made him queasy. "Magnus, if there was any other way I would tell you. I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more for him earlier, but the wounds from Sage and Kale took precedence."

"I-I know, I don't blame you."

She took his free hand in hers and squeezed it. "You can do this, Magnus. With your father? Hellfire is at your fingertips, you just need to call it."

"I hope you're right." He swallowed uneasily.

"You are the most gifted healer in the art of hellfire." She told him fiercely. "Stop with this ridiculous uncertainty and go do what you do best! Whatever happened between you and Alec doesn't matter right now. You can do this for him."

"I would do anything for him." Magnus admitted hoarsely. He'd go barreling into the gates of hell to face his father if he thought such an act deemed Alec's favor. With a weak smile he added. "I'd ask you to come along with me, but..." Her time in Nephilim custody would haunt her dreams for a long time to come. He couldn't bring himself to ask such a thing of his dear Catarina. Not this soon. The mere fact she ignored her own turmoil to help him save Alec warmed his heart. Few people in Magnus's long life touched him so deeply.

Rising to her toes, Catarina kissed his cheek. "I'll be right here. You can call me." She slapped him on the rear. "Now get your glittery ass out of here and go save yourself an angel."

With newly acquired purpose, Magnus grabbed his coat and flew down the stairs. Out in the city, he glided along the streets, his leather duster billowing in the breeze. The moment of glory did little to comfort him.

Isabelle waited from him just outside the gate. She stiffened when she saw him lips pressing into a firm line. "Took you long enough, did you stop for a latte?"

The poor girl looked exhausted. Her long black hair had been pulled back in a haphazard ponytail. Her eyes had sunk into the dark circles underneath; her face pale and plain lacking its usual painted pizazz; she must've been up all night. More than one night. Sarcasm did nothing to soften her contempt.

"Lovely to see you as well, Isabelle." He answered lightly. "I see you are modeling the languor look, I hear it's all the rage in Japan."

"Forgive me for not being up to your standards." Her dark eyes raked over him once, noting that Magnus didn't meet Magnus's standards. "It's been a little stressful around here lately… what with my brother abandoning us and all."

Magnus winced at the venom in her voice. "Alec did not abandon you." He dearly hoped that her nonsense would never reach his boyfriend's ears. Alec did not need more guilt. He had more than his actions earned.

"He might as well have." She snapped. Her sour expression and angry eyes reminded Magnus so much of her mother; it chilled him to the core. Would Isabelle turn her back on anything non-Nephilim, too? "With it being so easy for him to just walk out and side with you and your kind. I don't suppose you understand family obligation. You never had one."

Magnus did not consider himself someone quick to anger. Laxity had served him well, idiotic bullshit didn't touch him. When surrounded by short-tempered, supernaturally strong everything else, keeping his cool kept him alive. He stared at the young woman in disbelief. "You think that was easy for him?" Magnus dipped into that pool of cool-headedness and held up a hand. Curtly, he ushered her along. "Darling Isabelle… As much as I would love to stand here and have a battle of moral code, I'd need to heal Alec."

She recoiled from his touch. "I didn't want to call you at all and whatever happened between the two of you and how he ended up like this…" her voice cut out. "I am going against everything I feel right now because I know you are the only one who can save my brother."

Magnus's heart clenched painfully in his chest, he always adored Isabelle. He had her to thank for sending Alec his way after their fateful first meeting. This animosity toward him now, he could not see a way to repair. Damn Kale. Damn Jiruko. Damn Lilith and her barren children. Not being able to breed a family didn't mean he couldn't love one. Half-human, but the look in her eyes said he might as well be all demon. The New York Institute and those in it were lost to him. "I understand."

Isabelle opened the gate and led him inside. The silent between them was thick enough to choke on. When the elevator creaked to a stop, Isabelle pushed the door open. Jace stood there, fire burning in his eyes. "Well, if it's not the Nephilim's favorite renegade warlock. Storm any Institutes lately?"

Magnus fingered the slim book in his coat pocket. It would be too much to ask of the universe to spare him of the blonde's infuriating presence. Another agitated Nephilim to deal with. How quickly they forgot he could easily pluck out their self-righteous, angelic feathers and cast them away to the ends of the Earth. _Antarctica, perhaps._

"This isn't the time, Jace." Isabelle kept walking. Magnus followed silently. "We talked about this, we need him."

Refusing to be brushed aside, Jace stood in their way. "Did you see those wounds? What monster do you think is responsible?" Her adopted brother spat, pointing an accusing finger in Magnus's direction. "We can summon any warlock! Or, hell, the Silent Brothers! Why did it have to be him?"

Isabelle sizzled with rage. "Time and discretion." She spat at him. "You know damn well why we can't call the Silent Brothers. Mom and Dad would find out, then they'd know Alec was here. Magnus is the only warlock in the area that specializes in poison. And!" She sucked in air, having lost her breath in the tirade. "Alec trusts him. So unless you have a better idea in that thick skull of yours as to how to save our brother's life move your ass before I let Magnus turn you into a toaster!"

That's my girl. Maybe not all hope is lost. Magnus offered, "I can make it have a bagel slicer too, if you'd like."

The blond turned red. Something about him screamed wrong to Magnus, more so than usual. Almost like his objections came from a deeper source than just his dislike of himself. Could it be possible Jace simply didn't want Alec healed? But that would mean he'd die. Surely he couldn't want such a thing. "No." He spat out through clenched teeth. "If he thinks I am letting him anywhere near my parabatai, he's in for a rude awakening."

Magnus never cared for Jace or his malice he excused with broken lies about Valentine. But if Alec found out his… whatever Jace was to him anymore, intended to let him die, that would devastate Alec. The High Warlock would not allow such a blow on his love. He would kill Jace with his own two hands first. Even if it cost him Alec's love. Alive and angry, he could at least beg the Nephilim for forgiveness. Better to distract Isabelle, lest she have to choose between her brothers. With a theatrical sigh, Magnus turned to the girl. "You'll have to forgive him, he still can't accept the fact that Alec would rather be with me than him. It's a hard truth to bear." He shook his head in mock sympathy for the blond. "As adorable as your little show of possessive machismo is, you're unimportant." With a snap of his fingers, Jace fell to the floor with a satisfying thud.

Isabelle gasped.

Waving his hand, Magnus dismissed it. "He'll be fine. He'll wake up about dawn. Now where is Alec?"

The girl gaped for a moment before turning her attention to him. "The infirmary."

Magnus didn't know what to expect. But what he found made his blood turn cold. Alec, his vibrant and beautiful Alec pale as death. The wounds Catarina had healed were reopened, staining bandages and bed sheets crimson. The worst of them, a gash on his leg, no doubt the injury Kale told him about from Bev. His murderous intentions towards the female warlock only intensified.

Isabelle brushed past him, approaching her eldest brother's side. Touching Alec's quivering arm lightly she called, "Alec. Alec, Magnus is here."

A shriek of pain came from his love's lips. Isabelle's light touch hurt him. Greatly. His body arched up from the bed and he thrashed his head against the pillows. He rambled incoherently, his words switching between English and Latin. The fever burning through him left him covered in sweat and shivering uncontrollably.

Isabelle turned angry, pleading eyes to Magnus. "You can help him, can't you?"

Magnus nodded, voice in a tight whisper. "Yes, Isabelle. I can help him." He couldn't tear his eyes from Alec. "You should wait outside. This is going to be ugly... I don't want you to see it."

She opened her mouth to argue but then closed it again. When Isabelle did speak, guilt filled her voice. "I can't lose another brother."

The urge to take the girl into his arms to comfort her came and vanished in a blink of his eyes. "Pick Jace up off the floor and you won't have to." He gestured to the doorway. "I will take care of Alec. Close the door on your way out. I'll come get you when I'm finished."

When she still refused to move. "Isabelle." Magnus tried again.

Her eyes locked onto the shivering form on the bed. "I-I'm sorry." She said, voice small and unsure. "But how can I trust that you won't just take him and disappear?"

Many things had done just that to this small group of Shadowhunters for him to give a light answer. He could say anything, but Magnus settled for, "I love your brother. Right now, he wants to be here and I will not disrespect his wishes."

"Swear it."

"I swear." He answered immediately.

Hand hovering over her brother's chest without touching him, Isabelle turned away. She escaped from the sterile infirmary and closed the door behind her.

Now alone with Alec, Magnus let the tears build in his eyes. "You stupid little Nephilim." He planted his hands on the bed and leaned over, willing himself to not lose it. He did not dare touch his love, not with the scream Isabelle's fingertips pulled from him. "You aren't allowed to leave me, we've established that."

Alec opened his clouded blue eyes. He saw nothing, or everything, Magnus hoped he sensed his presence but couldn't be sure. Words spilled from his chapped lips. Words calling for help. Words that made almost no sense. One word that would replay through Magnus's mind forever. He loved the sound of his name on Alec's lips but hearing it like this, so hopeless, so sad, and desperately pleading... It broke his heart into so many pieces he may not ever find them again.

Whispering a spell to hold Alec still, he summoned a chair. He could see his father's hideous, distorted face as he taught him to contain the fire he needed to call. The many failures that brought him to his knees, burns all over his skin. The cruel laughter of the demons. Finally the elation of the properly executed spell. The overwhelming need to _use it more_, _use it again_, and the viciousness of it.

Cupping his hands together, Magnus willed the flame to build in his hands. Red at first, then orange, yellow, white, and finally blue, he condensed the heat against its nature. It burned so hot against his skin it felt cold, but he would endure it. He would endure it for Alec. The warlock took a breath and turned up the magic another few notches, turning the fire from blue to incandescent purple and finally a black flame flickered in his fingertips. A void that gave light, nothing earthly or human about the fires of Hell. Like will call to like and eat the poison. "I'm going to make this better, darling." He promised, knowing Alec couldn't hear him. The intensity of the fire and magic scorched through him like a surge of electricity. He held his hands over the wild beating of Alec's heart and thrust the flame into his chest.

Alec's screams forced themselves from his hoarse throat as his body convulsed, jerking, thrashing against the invisible bonds, doing anything it could to get away from the pain. His veins glowed gold and black, his Nephilim blood fighting Magnus's flame. The colors pulsed against the pale, luminescent skin. The warlock couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes with every pain filled shriek. He hated causing Alec any pain, even if in the end it helped him. Reminding himself over and over again that his spell helped him. Magnus kept the heat steady.

It took a full minute for all the blood in a human body to pass through the heart and around the body at resting rate. With the heaving terror heartbeat, it took even less. Even know this, it felt like an eternity until Alec's blood ran clean. Finally, all the tension left Alec's body. He stopped fighting the hold spell. Magnus let the magic go. They crumpled with a shuddering gasp, Alec against the mattress, Magnus in an uncomfortable infirmary chair. Licking his lips, he touched the pulse at Alec's throat and sighed in relief as it slowed to a normal, less alarming rate. "You're alright now." He whispered. "The poison is gone, my love. You'll be alright..."

He took a moment to watch in the rise and fall of Alec's chest as color began to return to his face. The other wounds, the surface ones, he could let Isabelle take care of, but he didn't want her to ask Jace. Summoning a corner pocket of energy, he laid his hands over the deep thigh wound and poured his magic in, seeking the sides to reconnect correctly. The other little ones an iratze could heal. Smoothing back the damp black hair, Magnus lowered his lips and whispered a spell to sleep against his boyfriend's pliant lips. He would sleep. He would heal. He would be perfectly fine.

"I love you." He stroked a finger down Alec's face, memorizing its shape. Just in case. He pressed another kiss to his lips before forcing himself away. The separation weighing him down like blocks on concrete attached to his feet. He did not want to ever spend another week by a loved-one's bedside as they died. God, how could be so stupid as to put himself through this again?

He slipped into the hall to find Isabelle pacing near the door. Meeting her eyes he gave her a weary smile. "He's alright." He watched relief drag her shoulders down. She needed sleep, too. "I've put him to sleep. If left undisturbed he should sleep for a few days. He needs to rest."

Nodding, she wiped her eyes. "O-okay. Thank you." She bit her lip like she wanted to say something else but didn't.

Magnus's heart ached. He didn't want to leave. He couldn't bear the thought of being away from Alec, again. To return to his dreary and empty apartment… alone. The Chairman provided him some comfort, but he wasn't what he wanted. He couldn't linger at the Institute, it wasn't safe. "Take care of him…" He murmured, knowing she would even if he didn't ask, but he felt better having done it.

* * *

Magnus wanted nothing more than to curl up in his bed and hide. Drained of everything but the raging hate the hellfire left in him, there was a distinct reason dark magic was to be avoided. It ate at the soul like a drug. Begged to be used, to consume life and hurt, it didn't care about anything, as if magic could have a mind of its own. In the back of the taxi Magnus shivered, swallowing the need to rip into the mundane taxi driver and ruin him. The feeling would pass, but for the rest of the night he didn't trust himself to be near vulnerable or precious things. Come to think of it, the Chairman should be put in Kale's room for safe keeping.

When he stepped through the door into the sanctity of his living room, he realized that not only Kale and Catarina waited there, but two more guests. He was _not_ in the mood to entertain. A trail of billowing black smoke proceeded his step, like a red carpet only for the Prince of Hell. It billowed his leather duster around him, a dangerous, striking look he hadn't dared use in centuries. The shadows lengthened, hushing the conversation. Kale looked him over and stood before the guests, so he was the face to focus on. The Canadian's presence flared against his magical senses like witchlight flares in the night.

"And lo, behold the youngest Prince of Hell." Kale forced his magic to keep the room from growing darker. After a moment light slowly returned, sending the creeping shadows back to the corners.

Magnus Bane didn't need to be scary. He didn't want to be scary. He wanted to be _loved_.

"Mag-" Catarina stopped midword.

_Fuck_. Doubling over, Magnus covered his face with his hands. They were blackened at the tips, coated with sulfuric ash. _No. No. I will not. Stop it. Damn it._ They glowed pure gold with power, casting shadows of his hands. A harsh breathing filled his ears. "I-don't-not yet-not safe-stay," he tried to tell them. The pained, strangled voice did not give them enough heed. He couldn't tell them how much he wanted to melt their faces off and gut their meat suits for puppetry. Bloodlust filled him.

Heavy footsteps, booted feet vibrated the boards to his flat as they approached him. Beaten, worn in yellow work boots splattered with mud, blood, beer, and other things led to faded jeans and further up, a stained brown t-shirt. Kale was preparing a spell of some kind. Already their magic fought for shadow dominion.

Magnus did not like that. It didn't matter that Kale was his cousin and elder Prince. _How dare he interfer..._ A snarl transformed Magnus's smooth, Asian face to a near bestial horror. He launched himself at Kale, fingers extending to claws with a whisper of power.

Green eyes flashed in pride. Kale caught Magnus's strike on his stomach and ignored it. He grabbed the taller warlock by his arms and slammed him into the wall, denting it.

A loud hiss of rage and hate, Magnus snapped his teeth at the man with a surge of demonic magic.

Kale ate the power. He absorbed it with a crackling shimmer of electricity dancing along his skin. It concentrated down in the Canadian's stomach, where ten clawed fingers stuck in his gut. Sharp biting electricity pushed the claws out, closing the wound behind them. It wasn't draining fast enough. Not fast enough to heal, not fast enough to stop him. Kale leaned up and kissed his prisoner, forcing his mouth to open.

Magnus knew that mouth. Knew it and all its secrets. He plunged in his tongue, heedlessly.

Sucking hard on the wet muscle, Kale leached the demonic fire out of him. The voltage amped up as he bleed the hate away. It crackled around the room, popping lamps and scorching any metal it touched. Pulling the energy out, Kale replaced it with a spark of enjoyment. Drinking away the anger he gave a piece of pleasure to suck in instead.

That shot of joy kept Magnus's heart beating as Kale drained the rest. Legs turning to jello, he slide down the wall, dizzy from more than just lack of energy. He'd forgotten. Forgotten the price he paid for dark magic. Weaker blooded warlocks had it consume them completely. He'd never found anyone else but Princes of Hell that could absorb that much malice and hate and still function. Still be sane. The Book of White mentioned it briefly, but gave no real method for it.

A sexy, just-fucked gleam in his green eyes, Kale's face hovered in front of Magnus's. "You okay, now, buddy?" An indecent bulge in his pants matched the smirk. "I could do that again, if you'd like."

"Alec-" He rasped.

Something flashed behind those green eyes that looked vaguely like jealousy. "He'll get over it. Someone had to save your guests." A cocky look and smug grin replaced the earlier look on his face. Adjusting his pants, Kale rose and left to the kitchen to wash his hands and stomach free of blood. "Another ruined shirt!" He called, jokingly.

Magnus hoped he meant it jokingly. He would buy Kale an entire castle to thank him for keeping his rage from killing Jem and Tessa and Catarina. And the Chairman. He'd miss his cat, too. "Tessa," he coughed. He wanted to sit up, to get up, but his body refused to move. Tiredness swept over him. He gave her a weak smile. "Tessa, darling, what are you doing here?" His voice had almost reached its normal pitch. _And with Jem?_ The last thing he needed was the Nephilim to see warlocks struggle with power unleashed and the demonic side exert its control over a high warlock.

Judging her safety, she skirted around catarina and came to where he slumped. A vision in a pale gold sweater and mint green skinny jeans, Tessa had modernized well. She wrapped him into a hug. He returned the gesture with shaky arms. "Magnus," she greeted him warmly, despite the tension singing along her shoulders. "Magnus, you can't just drop a bombshell like a warlock rebellion on me and expect me to not come and help. What's this all about, anyway?" She asked of his entrance.

Magnus kissed her cheeks hello. "I meant to warn you... is all." He objected, a breathy half-laugh that would have been more, had he not felt so exhausted. The warlocks wanted to know her secret. Magnus would not allow it. She'd been through too much already. "It's dangerous to be here."

"I know." She smiled. "But Magnus… I can't just run away."

He sighed. "You've spent far too much time among the Nephilim. That is precisely what you do." A bitter taste came to his mouth. "You find yourself an undisclosed location and you wait until the danger has passed. Have I taught you nothing?" _Why does no one listen to me?_

Kale snorted. "Why does that not surprise me?"

Ignoring him, Magnus finally acknowledged the fourth person in the room. A tall, thin, oriental man, with scars high on his cheeks. "Jem..." He gasped. The last time he'd seen James Carstairs, or at the time, Brother Zachariah, was right before his dreaded initial break up with Alec. The young man smiled, pleased. "Good afternoon, Magnus." He said, his English accent still as prominent as before. "Lovely to see you again, only I wish it were under different circumstances."

Magnus swallowed. Jem looked well. His hair turned back to its natural black, as did his eyes. He'd filled out, his skin taking on a healthy glow. His curse had been lifted. His time in the Silent City did wonders for him. The beauty and grace he'd possessed as a sickly youth had turned to lithe grace and quiet confidence. "Wow." Was all he could think to say.

"That's what I said." Kale piped up once more. He'd stripped himself of his ruined shirt. "If I'd known Tess found herself such a hottie I'd of insisted she visit sooner." He wiggled his eyebrows in Jem's direction. "Care to go for a romp in the sheets with a real warlock?"

A pained look took over Jem's face. "My, it's a shame courting has turned into such a vulgar affair. Whatever happened to poetry, love sonnets… and music?"

The Canadian warlock tossed his ruined shirt in Magnus's fireplace, burning it without a thought. He turned to the younger man, "Roses are red/ violets are blue/ you're fucking hot/ so let's go screw!"

Catarina whacked him upside the head with the paper in her hands. "Pig!"

Scandalized, Jem's cheeks tinted pink.

Tessa returned to her love's side taking Jem's hand in hers, tightly. Flatly, like reciting an encyclopaedia entry she told Kale, "He's out of your league. If you so much as look at him again, I'll turn myself into you, commit a terrible crime, and plaster your face all over the news."

Jem coughed delicately hiding a smile as Kale turned an unhealthy green. After a moment Kale shook off the idea. "Whatever, Nephilim are too much work anyway, just ask Magnus." He sighed with the apparent disappointment. "Not that a rebellion is happening any time soon. After their fuck up trying to nab angel cake, big boss man decided to go after the unmarked ones on the outskirts. Since the Clave shun them and the Accords don't protect them."

"He what?" Catarina demanded. "That's ridiculous. Those are innocent mundanes. The Clave _has_ to protect them."

The color drained from Magnus's face. He so hoped Jiruko lied about wanting to continue his experiments. After the initial shock of it all, Magnus considered the idea. What it would be like being able to have a family with children? He'd spent hundreds of years without ever passing on his legacy. It would be a lie to say the idea didn't entice him …to a point.

Kale shrugged, a smooth ripple of muscle and skin, "Angel blood is angel blood. Though, I don't expect Bev is giving up on angel cake." His warning directed at Magnus. "And Sage is still out there, so I hope you made sure Alec is staying off the streets."

"He's sleeping." Magnus answered from his seat on the floor. "He will be out of trouble for a little while." He hoped. The thought of Bev made him chased away his fatigue with resurgence of hate. His lips curled cruelly. "Bev's days are numbered. She won't be bothering him ever again. As for Sage… if he knows what's best for him, he will stay out of my way." He struggled with the anger. Blue sparkled around his fingers. With effort, he steadied himself against the wall gaining his feet.

Eight sets of eyes blinked at him in astonishment. Magnus rarely made threats. And never empty ones. The weight of that fact fell over the room, settling them into an uncomfortable silence. He did not want to have to go through being drained again.

"If Alexander is sleeping," Catarina spoke into the silence. "You were able to burn out the poison?"

An image of Alec's face, contorted in pain flashed in Magnus's mind. A sobbing cry of his voice shouting Magnus's name and the warlock had to close his eyes and concentrate on breathing. "He's mending. And yes, the poison is gone. The hellfire worked."

"Hellfire?" Jem gasped. His eyes widened as the implication of it came over him. "That... is why when you came in..."

"I didn't have a choice." Magnus snapped.

The black haired man paled and opened his mouth but Tessa spoke. "That's difficult magic." She paused. "But I'm glad to hear Alec will be alright, I know what he means to you."

_He means everything good to me_. Turning his back on them he went to glare out of his window. "We can't just sit around and let the warlocks enslave mundane Nephilim."

Kale snorted. "Hell yeah, we can. They aren't plotting to attack the Clave at the moment. We should use this time to our advantage."

"At the price of human lives?" Catarina demanded. "I thought better of you."

"Stopping the rebellion is going to save more lives, warlock lives. Am I the only one of us, save for angel boy, that remembers I'm _a bloody fucking warlock_?" Kale exclaimed. "Its not like they are innocent humans. These are Nephilim who are creating little baby Nephilim that could potentially turn into baby Shadowhunters whose sole purpose in life is to kill anything not Nephilim."

Magnus's jaw clenched. Part of him wanted to side with Kale, if anything Valentine's Uprising proved how little the Nephilim regarded anyone else as having a right to live. Let the warlocks busy themselves elsewhere and allow them the time they so desperately needed to plan. But the other part reminded him that Clave or no, he couldn't just condemn the unmarked Nephilim to slavery. He'd never be able to live with himself. Not to mention how Alec would take the whole thing.

"I think I have an idea." Jem cleared his throat. "As Kale so eloquently stated, I am not a warlock. I will go to the New York Institute and seek a meeting with the Consul. I do not think warlocks appearing around Nephilim homes, despite how honorable their intentions may be, will go over well with the Clave."

"Jem?" Tessa asked. "Are you sure? I thought you didn't want to be involved in Clave business any longer?"

Turning around, Magnus regarded the room. Kale leaned haughtily against a wall. Catarina paced. Tessa and Jem stood face to face, Tessa's sad gray eyes mirroring the concern she voiced.

Jem smiled down at her, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead. "I am quite sure." He turned to Magnus, his smile so sincere it made him want to weep. Wisdom in his obsidian eyes, warm with respect, soothed the last vestiges of the wrath his dark magic wrought. "I'll go see your Alec. Provide him with any weight of influence I can to corral our kin. That will allow you all to set your sights fully on disbanding the rebellion, or if that is not possible, delay the attacks on the Nephilim."

Swallowing, Magnus found he had no argument for this logic. "I think that is an acceptable alternative." He sighed. "However, Alec needs to rest. Wait at least a day. The warlocks will not move immediately."

He received a unanimous agreement.

"Excellent. Now if you all do not mind... please use the kitchen and guest rooms as you will. If you'll excuse me, I am going to take a shower and pass out."

* * *

Despite his exhaustion Magnus couldn't sleep. He called the Institute to check on Alec. Isabelle informed him she tucked her brothers away in their respective rooms, both sound asleep. They could stay there, as far as she was concerned. Then she hung up.

When sleep evaded him he always found solace in his library of spell books. When he retreated to his office, his attention turned to the notebook he'd given Alec. He opened it, running the pads of his fingers over the deep indentations left from the pen. Emotions weighed his hand as he'd scribbled them. _We are dust and shadows. This is not worse than dying of demon poison. _Except at the end he wrote. _This is so much worse than demon poison._

He swallowed, flipping through the pages of text when a soft knock came to his door. Tessa poked her head in after a moment. "May I join you?"

"Of course."

She closed the door quietly behind him. The apartment as a whole fell into silence with most of its inhabitants in bed. Chairman Meow lay curled up on an ottoman before Magnus's reading chair, purring contentedly.

"Where's Jem?" He asked as his friend pulled up a chair and sat next to him.

"Asleep." She answered a fond little smile on her lips. "He does that a lot. From not being able to for some hundred years in the Silent City."

"Ah." Magnus closed his notebook, setting it aside. Companionship sounded much better than reading anyway. Besides, if Alec wrote about him, he didn't want to see it.

Tessa pressed her lips together. "I've never seen you so defeated… is it merely the war that saddens your heart or is it something else?"

_So much more…_ Magnus sighed. "You've known me too long, Tessa." He turned to her. "How is it that you can put yourself through this again?"

It took her a moment to understand the reason behind the question. "You were the one that told me the first was always the most painful." She shrugged. "I've only ever had two great loves of my life. I got my time with Will and it was perfect. Now, I am blessed enough to also get my time with Jem. How could I ever complain? One does not question miracles, or complain that they are no constructed perfectly to one's liking."

"I could." Magnus muttered. As always, his thoughts belonged to Alec.

"Magnus." She touched his arm. "When I saw you last, you were so happy, what's changed?"

_Everything_. Magnus wanted to say. "All I want is to be with Alec. Yet… there always seems to be something in the way. First he was in love with someone else, then he refused to even accept we had a relationship, then he wanted to keep it a secret, then he started obsessing over my immortality, now he is obsessing over my past, it's enough to drive a person mad."

"And yet, you are still with him." She smiled. "Still want to be with him."

"Of course!" He snapped, harsher than he meant to. "I love the little pain in the ass. More than I should."

"Should?" Tessa mused. "I wasn't aware there was a cap on how much you can love a person."

"You know what I mean." Magnus slumped. "I fall in love easily. I know this, I also know that I fall out of love just as easily. Yet no matter what I do, matter what he does, Alexander continues to hold my affections."

Tessa sighed. "Ah… That sounds suspiciously like someone we both know, does it not?"

"Alec is nothing like Will." Magnus replied adamantly, "Nothing." He found his bitterness in the comparison unsettling. Jace shared far more characteristics with Will Herondale, none of them on the positive side. He supposed Alec shared Will's passion, his drive. But where Will would be cruel and jaded, Alec trusted and believed in the best. Alec instilled more of a protective streak in Magnus than Will never could. Magnus found himself vested in Will's happiness; he felt responsible for it. Wasn't that similar to what he felt for Alec? _No..._ _I want to be the one who causes Alec's happiness._

"From what I've learned about your Alexander though, I'd say he's more like Jem."

"There is no one else like Jem." Magnus answered, "Jem is on an entirely different level of comparison."

She laughed. "Take care not to say such things to him." She answered, her affection washing over Magnus like a breath of fresh air. "He'll likely have a fit."

"Modesty must be a sole Carstairs' virtue."

"Mostly dead these days." Tessa grinned at him. "He might be more similar than you think. He's young, yes. Headstrong, definitely. But his love and unfaltering loyalty and self-sacrifice are things you'll likely not find again, least not for another century."

"I know." Magnus sighed. "Trust me, I know."

"What is it he wants? If you don't mind me asking… What is it that you think you cannot give him?"

Magnus considered the question. "He has this ridiculous notion that to truly be partners he must know everything there is to know about me. Know all my secrets, my past discretions. ...things that I've never told anyone."

Tessa fell silent for a moment. "Very young. Idealistic." She said finally, "But I wouldn't call it ridiculous. Don't you wish to know all there is to know about him?"

"Well, yes… but… I'm a warlock. I've lived hundreds of years, why should things that happened at the beginning of my life matter? Living in the present is what matters now. Who I am now is what matters."

"That's easy for you to say." His friend answered, "But how do you know what would matter to him and what would not? Perhaps he feels that by keeping such things you are being untruthful? Nothing is more important in a relationship than trust. You have said that yourself numerous times."

"He can trust me though." He snapped his mouth shut. Lately, and it pained him to admit it, he hadn't been completely truthful to Alec. He did so for his boyfriend's protection. That should count for something shouldn't it? "If I had to divulge every secret to him that I've ever kept… I lose myself. ...completely." All those pieces he'd given to other lovers over the years, he kept some for himself. He kept himself something to live with. If he gave all that to Alec, he wouldn't survive his death.

"What are you so afraid of him knowing?" She asked suddenly. "Do you think he would judge you on things that you've done in the past?"

"Maybe..." A painful knot began to form in his chest. "He'd leave me." _He's a Nephilim; he wouldn't want a coward_.

"Isn't he already on his way out?" She said, not unkindly. "If his reaction to what happened in London is any indication for how he will handle other things, shouldn't that be your answer? How will you know if you don't try?"

Magnus swallowed hard. He could not argue with either of those points. Alec had accepted his aiding the murder of his London kin. But with the fight... his lover was leaving him, if he'd not already left. He would not weigh him down with his secrets to keep him. Yet losing him again, he had to try something.

Tessa leaned forward. "Magnus, he loves you. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I know it's painful and I know it's terrifying." She squeezed his hand. "But isn't he worth it?"

Closing his eyes, Magnus took a breath. _Alec is worth everything._ "I don't even know where to start…"

She kissed his cheek. "Write him a letter." She offered.

"A letter?" His laugh came out hoarse. "But that's so…"

"Will learned everything there was to know about me through letters never even addressed to him." She confessed. "I wrote a series of letters to my brother and Will found them. If not letters then a book of some sort."

"I should write a journal?" Magnus felt a flicker of something in his chest feeling remarkably like hope. Alec kept numerous journals. Alec loved the written word. "I think I can do that."

"I know you can." Tessa answered, tugging on a lock of his hair. "Start small, start simple. I don't know Alec as well as you obviously, but I'm fairly certain he will appreciate the sentiment."

Magnus nodded. Alec would. He knew he would. With his friend by his side, Magnus conjured himself an empty notebook and started to write.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: OMG! Over 100 reviews! You all are amazing! Because of this I decided to go ahead and post the next chapter. That being said, I should warn you 15 is still being written, and is really long. So it may be two weeks before its ready to be posted.**

**Other then that, special thanks to my darling beta/editor/co-writer Clef. I love you dearly. And...please enjoy and continue to review!**

**~Chapter Fourteen~**

_Twelve hours. _Alec paced the length of his room. It took him a whopping twelve hours to fall into the claws of death. _Again._ Leave it to Alec to somehow manage to nearly bleed to death from wounds infected with poison. Not just any poison, but demonic poison worthy of Cthulhu spawn. Evidently, he was a beacon to the slimy stuff. A sign flashed over his head reading: 'Weak, useless, Nephilim, waiting to be injected with your poison! Inquire within!' Or it read: 'Insecure Shadowhunter looking for a big bad demon to stab him with talons to impress his unrequited crush!' It never showed in the mirror, maybe Kale could see it.

"Alec!" Izzy's voice called impatiently from the other side of his locked door. "Are you done with your temper tantrum yet? I need to talk to you."

"Call Magnus!" He hollered back. "That's what we do around here!" He threw himself onto his bed with a huff. There would be no dealing with the warlock now. For once in his miserable life couldn't he catch a freaking break?

"Alec!" His sister practically whined. "I said I was sorry! I didn't have a choice!" He could imagine her standing there with balled up fists, trying to think of a way to break through the barrier. The rune he scrawled on the door shimmered in warning. Given enough time, she surely would breach it. Or Jace would, wherever his Parabatai slunk off to this time. He certainly couldn't bother himself with worrying over Alec. "He kept calling! I needed his help! You were dying! I could't-I couldn't let that happen!"

"Why does that not surprise me?" He muttered darkly to himself. Magnus probably invented some sort of alarm that sounded whenever Alec lost consciousness. Rolling over he buried his face in his pillow. He longed for the solitude Magnus's loft provided. Unfortunately, the loft came with Magnus, and now apparently Kale. He seethed. Stupid, perfect, formidable warlocks. If he never saw another warlock again, it would be too soon.

"We've left you alone like you asked!" Her insistent and irritatingly rational voice answered. "But it's been two hours!"

Blinking, Alec turned to his clock. "Two hours is not nearly long enough." He rolled his eyes. Once he'd forced his way to coherency he'd thrown his siblings from his room. First his anger directed itself at Jace for bringing him back to the Institute against his will. At least, he assumed so. He couldn't remember much about that day, save his ridiculous fight with Magnus. After losing another two days to a magically induced coma he could barely remember his name. He hated magic. He hated Magnus. He hated _everything_.

Then his anger found its way to Isabelle. Isabelle who knew something happened between him and Magnus and yet she called him anyway. He knew blaming her was unfair; he was dying as she so bluntly put it. But damnit, now he had to deal with a smug Magnus, more smug than usual and he just couldn't think about facing him again. Even his incoherent mind knew the uselessness of getting angry with Magnus. The warlock did what he does best. Charge in with his glittery fury and save Alec from whatever ridiculous situation he got himself into. His boyfriend's point about Alec needing protection proved valid to a fault.

That left one, and only one, person to be angry with, himself. No wonder no one in the Clave ever took him seriously. He couldn't make speeches; he couldn't negotiate reparations; and he couldn't take care of himself in battle. That made him nothing but a liability. Why wouldn't his father use him as a sacrifice? It actually gave him a purpose.

Maybe if he wasn't so useless Magnus _would_ confide in him.

"Yes it is!" Isabelle insisted, actually rattling his doorknob. "If you don't open this door right now I'll-" She paused, apparently unable to come up with a suitable threat. "Just open the damn door Alec!" Her voice took on a hint of panic. "Please!"

Groaning into his pillow, Alec cursed his compassion. No matter how angry she made him, he always caved when his little sister became emotional. Times like these he really wished to be more like Jace. Not that Jace lacked compassion; he just ignored it unless it suited him.

He stalked over to the door, brushing his hand over the rune and yanking the door open. "What?" He snapped, sounding more venomous in his head then what actually came out of his mouth.

Isabelle blinked at him with wide, reddened eyes. "What were you doing in there?" She asked, trying to peek around him to see inside.

"What do you want, Isabelle?" He repeated, fighting with himself to remain calm. _You already decided not to be angry with Izzy._ He reminded himself.

Snapping her mouth closed, his sister regarded him with an almost hurt expression, one she rarely wore. "You've never been this cold to me before… I get that you're upset but… Alec." She spread her hands with a helpless shrug. "We're your family… let us help you."

"Help me?" Alec demanded incredulously, gripping his elbows to keep from grabbing at her, "You let me believe I actually had a say in the warlock reparations. Don't tell me you didn't know what Father was up to, you delivered his message. Let's just send useless Alec into the Warlock Coven, let them finish him off so we don't have to."

"What?" She squeaked hoarsely her already pale pallor somehow discoloring even further. "Is that what those injuries were from? How could Magnus let that happen?"

Alec's throat went dry. "Oh…" he shook slightly with the emotion that suddenly threatened to boil over. "That's even better… you sent me in there assuming Magnus was going to protect me." Not even his own siblings thought he could defend himself. "Why did you even bother to save me at all?" His voice cracked to his horror.

The shock that took over Isabelle's face almost made him regret his words. "How could you-why would you…?"

"It made a perfect excuse… the Clave could go after the warlocks for breaking the Accords. Does Father know you thwarted his plan by allowing Magnus to enter the Institute to heal me?"

Tears finally spilled from her eyes. "Shut up!" She covered her ears with her hands. "Just shut up, Alec! You have no idea what it's been like here without you, no idea!"

"Neither of your parents knows you're here." Jace's voice drifted towards them before he stepped into the light. "Now if you're done yelling at Isabelle for things that are not her fault, she was adamant against the whole spy for the Clave plan from the very beginning."

Alec let his eyes look over his sister one last time before turning his icy glare to his Parabatai. Seeing him elicited a resentment he'd no idea where it came from. Sometimes he hated how well he knew the blond. Why hadn't he realized it sooner?"That was your idea."

Jace stopped before him, his golden eyes tight. "Would you have rather I have let them send the Silent Brothers after you? Would they have stopped with just taking your marks? I think they might hurt Magnus as well."

Snapping his mouth shut, Alec didn't know what to say. He didn't believe in the slightest that Jace cared about Alec enough to protect his boyfriend from harm. The realization that his adopted brother, his Parabatai actually made the suggestion for him to go into enemy territory alone hit him hard like a kick to the stomach. He didn't care that Jace's logic made some kind of sense. "What would you have done if they succeeded in killing me?"

Jace took a moment to answer. His features tight with some emotion Alec could not place. Not anger, not sadness either, almost acceptance. "You would have died a hero… which is a lot better than living out the rest of your days as a mundane on the streets of New York."

Always honest, his Parabatai. _Mundanes were lower than dirt. Downworlders even lower than mundanes. Shadowhunter or nothing._ Alec blinked back moisture building in his eyes. "You'd give me a death sentence, without even asking?"

"Stop it!" Isabelle shrieked, this new line of conversation only intensifying her emotions. "Just shut up! Shut up, Jace! He doesn't need to hear how fucked up in the head you are!"

Ignoring her, Jace answered. "You gave yourself a death sentence when you stormed out of here on the arm of a warlock!"

"I did not-" Alec wiped a lone tear as it slid down his cheek. "Well, at least I know where you stand." He sucked in a breath, wincing a bit. All of his anger seemed to just fizzle away, leaving a gaping hole. A gaping, bleeding hole in the shape of his parabatai rune. What a mistake that had been.

Isabelle stared at the two of them, horrified. The tears in her eyes dried, leaving tracks in her make-up. "Jace…" she said, calmly.

"Believe it or not it was for you." The blond implored, once again ignoring Izzy and talked to Alec. "I'm not your enemy, Alec. By the Angel, don't you know that?"

Alec opened his mouth to say _not with the way you act_, but the chime sounded for the door. His heart skipped a beat. Did Magnus decide to come back? He shook his head, angry with himself now. He didn't need Magnus. He didn't want him. Maybe if he kept repeating it he'd learn to believe it.

"Izzy get the door." Jace ordered with a fling of his hand. "And send them away. We have enough shit to deal with already."

Putting her hands on her hips, Isabelle snorted. "I don't take orders from you. You get the damn door. I think you've done enough damage to our brother."

Alec raked his fingers through his hair, fingernails ripping the skin. "I'll get the door."

"No need." A soft voice came from behind Jace. "I let myself in, I hope you don't mind." The blond stepped to the side, revealing a tall, dark haired man, not much older than the three teens. He resembled Magnus's oriental features. Did the warlock send his brother or something?

The new comer turned to him. "I'm happy to see you are up and about, Alec."

Suspicious, Alec crossed his arms and glared. "…Do I know you?" His voice sounded so familiar, like he should know him.

Jace straightened up next to him. "Wait…" He eyed the oriental man with disbelief. "Aren't you Brother Zachariah?"

Alec forgot how to breathe. _A Silent Brother? What was a Silent Brother doing here?_ Had someone summoned them? The edges of his vision started to glimmer that weird yellow-green that happened before oxygen deprivation knocked him unconscious. Angrily shaking his head, Alec cursed at himself. _You will not pass out._

"When did Brother Zachariah get hot?" Isabelle took his elbow, steadying him. "Alec are you okay?"

The man in question smiled kindly at them. "I used to go by that name. It's James now. James Carstairs. But you may all call me Jem."

"Are you here for my marks?" Alec finally found his voice. "You can start with my parabatai rune."

Both Isabelle and Jace tensed and actually moved closer to him, as if they meant to protect him. Although Jace gave him a considering look. Alec rolled his eyes, his family was such a walking, talking contradiction. Shoving them out of his way, he met the Silent Brother's eyes.

Brother Zachariah, or Jem as he apparently liked to be called, blinked at him in confusion. "Why on earth would I do that for?" He paused a moment, watching the three of them warily. Then he flushed with realization. "Oh." He touched his lips with a hand before smiling again. "I'm no longer a Silent Brother, I'm a Nephilim now, just like you."

"I thought that was a life sentence." Jace mumbled, staying as close to Alec's side as he could without getting hit.

Jem beamed at him, "So did I."

Alec flushed, looking away. Despite the amiable personality the other man had, Alec still felt unsettled. He turned to his sister who watched the strange man with interest. She shrugged as it she didn't know what to make of him either.

"What do you want?" Jace demanded suddenly after an uncomfortable pause.

Jem didn't appear bothered by the blonde's unfriendly tone. "I'm here to speak with Alec."

"With me?" Alec repeated, throat dry. He licked his lips. "What could you possibly what to talk to me about?"

"Alone, if you don't mind?" He smiled at each of his siblings in turn. "I assure you I mean no ill harm with this visit." At his feet, Church wove his way through his legs, purring. The only other person their cat ever seemed to like was Magnus. _Look how that turned out_, Alec thought bitterly.

Isabelle looked to Alec first, then to Jace. "Um… I guess that would be alright?"

Jace crossed his arms and glowered at Jem. "I don't see why you can't say whatever you need to say to him with us here. What's the big secret?"

Rolling his eyes, Alec gave his Parabatai a shove towards their sister. "Just go Jace. Order a pizza or something, I'm starving."

"Oh my gosh!" Izzy flushed. "I am the worse nurse maid ever! It never occurred to me you might be hungry! I'll make you something!" She turned on her heel and scurried away towards the kitchen.

Mouth dropping open, Alec watched her go. "No…I-"

"I got it." Jace grumbled, taking off after her. He shot one more look at them from over his shoulder before disappearing down the corridor after Isabelle.

Jem turned back to Alec, offering him a smile the blue eyed man did not return. "Your family is quite entertaining."

He wanted to snap an answer about them not being his family anymore but Jem did nothing to deserve his hostility so he fought it back down to stew and wait for when Jace came back. Clenching his teeth, Alec gave a weak, "I guess."

Warm black eyes gazed at him. "Magnus will be relieved to know you are well." He said softly.

At the sound of his boyfriend's name, Alec's heart skipped a beat. "Magnus?" The name practically sounded like a prayer from his lips. He missed him. He wanted him more than anyone else in that moment. Then he was instantly angry with himself for being so weak and stupid and needy. "How do you know, Magnus? You're not another ex, are you?"

The question caught the other man off guard. He coughed into a hand though it sounded more like a laugh. "Distrustful little thing aren't you?"

"It's not distrust if it's true." Alec responded, the bite back in his voice.

Jem waved a hand in front of him dismissively. "Goodness, no. Magnus was always closer with Will, I daresay." An affectionate smiled tugged onto his lips. "They spent an awful lot of time together. Then after Will died, he took Tessa under his wing." He sighed thoughtfully, "I owe Magnus quite a debt. He took care of both of them when I could not."

At the sound of the familiar name, Alec recoiled. "Will? As in _Will Herondale_?" Would he ever be able escape this elusive Will?

Brightening, Jem answered. "Have you heard of my Will? You look just like him, though Jace is more his match in temperament. We were Parabatai…"

_My Will? That's an odd way to talk about a parabatai, unless there was another Will to be confused with._ Alec frowned. He muttered darkly. "Magnus was in love with him. Or something. He..." Hunching in on himself, he continued. "Everyone knows Magnus, he's gotten around you know... for centuries."

Jem's eyes softened. "You have so much anger in you, Alec. When are you going to let it go?"

At the sudden change in topic, Alec's head snapped up. He met the other Nephilim's eyes but saw understanding there. It pissed him off. He didn't want understanding; he didn't need anyone's permission to be angry. "What?"

"Whether or not Magnus was in love with Will is hardly relevant. The point is Will only ever had eyes for Tessa. I honestly don't believe Magnus possessed romantic feelings for Will, but had he, they certainly weren't reciprocated. It would have been an excruciating time for him, wouldn't it? Watching Will be with someone else."

"If Magnus ever felt that way it couldn't have lasted long." Alec snapped, "I know exactly how that feels. To be inadequate and unwanted. "

"Inadequate?" Jem breathed. "Unwanted? You won the heart of Magnus Bane. He desires you above anyone else in this world. That is hardly something one should consider inadequate."

"He's immortal." Alec spat the word out like it was dirty. "He's given his heart away I don't know how many times, there is nothing special about me. I just…." He gestured to his hair. "Fit his type. It's just a matter of time before someone else comes around who is younger and prettier. Like Will."

Jem looked like he'd just received a kick in the stomach. "Tell me you don't actually believe that rubbish do you?"

"I don't know what I believe anymore." Alec muttered, crossing his arms. "It doesn't matter anyway; my anger is all I have. I don't plan on parting with it anytime soon." He felt like a jerk for behavior but for a change he just didn't care. Maybe this is what Jace felt like all the time. Maybe that's why he was so awful to everyone else. He hated himself so much, nothing mattered. "Look, I know you didn't come here talk to me about Magnus. As ridiculous as he can be, I doubt he sent you here just to argue his case. What's happening?"

What Jem came to tell him did not improve his mood.

* * *

"Why the hell do we have to wait around to speak to the Consul?" Jace demanded, slamming a hand on the desktop. After Alec calmed down, he corralled Jace, Isabelle and Jem into the library. Then he sent a message to the Consul and they waited for a return communique. He hoped she'd be willing to dispatch the Conclave immediately, as well as request additional assistance from the Clave. They would need as many Shadowhunters as possible.

Alec rubbed his throbbing temple with a finger. His patience with his Parabatai barely hung on by a thread. He opened his mouth to answer but Jem beat him to it.

"Your willingness to forge on ahead with the rescue mission is commendable, Jace. However we are but four, and it is simply not possible for us to spread out and cover all the areas needed."

"The warlocks could be out attacking the unmarked Nephilim as we speak! We can save as many as we can ourselves!"

"And what about all the ones that we can't?" Alec asked, voice surprisingly subdued for how he felt. He only knew for sure the numbers in New York, but with the signing of the Accords countless Nephilim left the Clave. They spread out across all the continents. With the warlocks being able to portal at the drop of a hat, they could attack simultaneously and in greater numbers. "If we go after even one person, its going to create chaos and panic. That's going to alert the warlocks that we know their plan. Use your head for once."

"I am using my head!" Jace snarled. "These people are in danger, Alec! How can you just sit there and not care?"

Taking a deep breath, Alec closed his eyes. His fingers closed around a knife on the desk but he didn't move his hand. "If you think for even a moment that I don't care you don't know me at all." He said carefully though venom coated his voice. He opened his eyes and met Jace's in a cool stare. "This is about more than just the handful of unmarked Nephilim in New York. I will not condemn them all to die just because you are unable to embrace patience."

"And who left you in charge?" The blond demanded his shoulders tense. Jace never could take orders from anyone. Even the Clave. His typical reaction in full swing, kill everyone and sort it out later, if at all. When a situation arose, one that required fighting, Jace attacked first, asked questions later. For certain situations the tactic worked, but not this one.

"With Mother and Father away, I'm the only adult here," he gestured to Jem, "with the exception of him, but he agrees with me." He cast a side glance at Isabelle who stood silent in the corner. "If you insist on doing something reckless, why not just go provoke a lycanthrope bar? Be sure to let Luke know so he can retrieve the pieces of your body for us later."

He said it with such dispassion, Jace just gaped at him.

Turning to Isabelle he added. "Same goes for you. I'm not going to sit here and bicker with the two of you so either stay and support me or you can leave."

"Alec." Isabelle blanched, straightening her posture. "Don't be ridiculous, we're here to support you." She shot Jace a scathing look. "Right?"

The blond scowled, and then shrugged throwing himself down in an armchair by the fire. "Wake me up when it's time to go kick some warlock ass."

"It amazes me I ever thought I was in love with him." Alec murmured to himself, rubbing his eyes. His sister heard him and coughed. Strategically, she placed herself between the chair and the desk. Like she worried Alec might leap over the furniture and pummel Jace until his face wasn't so pretty anymore. Not that he hadn't thought about it.

Jem's phone chirped and he excused himself to go answer it. The rest of the room fell into an uncomfortable silence, Alec spinning the knife in circles on the table.

"Alec…" Isabelle suddenly said.

He looked up from his spinning weapon, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"I'm glad you're here." She admitted softly. "Really glad." Her cheeks tinged pink in an uncharacteristic flush. "Jace acted on his own, you know…I never wanted you at that Coven meeting."

Taken aback by her words, Alec swallowed hard. "It's okay, Izzy."

"No, its not." She padded over to him, blocking his view of the back of Jace's head completely. "I wanted to tell you the truth…" her voice pleaded with him. "I did… but the only way I was allowed to go with Jace to see you was if I went along with it… then Magnus kicked us out before I could talk to you. I've been kept on such a tight leash, I wasn't even allowed to go meet you when you called." Her eyes watered. "You're my big brother, Alec and I love you."

Emotion crept up into his throat making him fight to get any words out. As a whole, the Lightwood family rarely practiced affection. The love was there, and you knew how to find it, but they never verbally expressed it. Hence why it took Alec so long to be able to say those words to Magnus. He finally opened his mouth to speak when the fire roared up, causing Jace to scramble back from it.

In a puff of smoke and a shimmer in the air, Consul Penhallow stood before them. Her resemblance to Aline so startling that only the dark robes she wore confirmed her identity.

Alec stood up. "Consul Penhallow! I didn't expect you to come like this… a phone call would have sufficed."

"Alexander." She greeted with a nod, then she looked to both Isabelle and Jace before turning her less than friendly eyes back to him. "Your father told me of your involvement with the warlocks. I would be interested to hear your explanation as to why you thought you had jurisdiction to offer reparations for the attack in London."

Standing a little straighter, Alec realized he should have expected this. He held up a hand to halt Isabelle from speaking. "With all due respect, ma'am, I did not offer reparations. I made it very clear to the warlocks I was only there to hear their grievances and bring them before the Clave."

"And did you?" She asked, still petulant. "Hear their grievances?"

Alec licked his lips. He didn't blame her for her hostility. For all he knew his father told her he'd allied with the warlocks. "I did." He answered, keeping his tone light and professional. "All of them." His jaw clenched at the memory. "Consul, the warlocks who attacked London only meant to free their healer. The bloodshed… was a product of decades of abuse they suffered at the hands of the Clave. They merely ask that those involved be pardoned, and partial monetary retributions be made to the mundanes affected by the violence. They agreed to pay the rest."

Jace snorted at this, but they ignored him. Alec kept his eyes locked on the Consul as he waited for her to respond. It felt like an eternity.

"I've heard nothing of this until now."

As much as Alec wanted to tell her of his father's betrayal, it was not his place to sway her one way or the other. It pained him, but he wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to his father that he caused. "I have no explanation for why this information was kept from you. Only that perhaps he sought to amend the parameters. There were after all, thirteen Nephilim lives lost."

"I am aware." She answered shortly, she considered Alec's words. "Well, I certainly don't see a reason for why we can't meet these requests. We were after all in the wrong, despite London acting on its own accord. I'll see to it that the warlocks receive their pardons."

Alec's legs threatened to give out. He closed his eyes, pleading with the Angel to turn back the hands of time and return him to that moment where he chose to go look for Magnus instead of contacting the Consul himself. This could be fixed. They could have appeased the warlocks and prevented all of what was to come. "Consul Penhallow." Alec forced out of his constricting throat. "That wasn't the reason I contacted you. The stakes have changed."

"What do you mean?"

"The warlocks… they decided against a rebellion, for now." He began. Taking a deep breath he continued. "Unbeknownst to the Clave, they have been experimenting with angel blood and demon blood in hopes of creating offspring."

The Consul's eyes hardened. "Experimenting? What exactly does that mean?"

Alec moved into an explanation of the warlocks previous attempts. "With the inability to reach a compromise about London, they've decided to simply take their reparations in the form of unmarked Nephilim for their experiments." He didn't need to add how they came after him first, that information played no part in their course of action.

She paled. "By the Angel…" Despite being a powerful leader among the Clave, she still possessed her humanity. Anyone would be horrified by the implications of what Alec just repeated. It made him like her more now.

Plowing on ahead, Alec said. "We need to pull records of all the Nephilim that left the Clave. None of them are safe. Dispatch all the Shadowhunters at our disposal, send out teams. There are no Institutes that I know of at full capacity, we can open the doors and house them until this is resolved."

"Alexander." The Consul interrupted patiently. "They've left the Clave. They've turned their back on their people. They don't want our help. The Clave would say it's unfortunate but not our problem."

Alec's heart stopped for one painful moment. "They didn't leave the Clave. They were never part of it. They are mundanes. It is our job to protect them as such. What would we do if specific mundanes were being targeted?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but Jem suddenly appeared at Alec's side.

"He does have a very good point, wouldn't you agree, Jia? As Shadowhunters of the Clave, we swear to protect mundanes as well as downworlders from that of the shadow world that means them harm. That is after all what unmarked Nephilim are is it not?"

Consul Penhallow's eyes widened at the sight of the disrobed Silent Brother. "James… I wasn't aware you made your decision to reinstate."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." He answered evenly; he placed a hand on Alec's shoulder. "I am here to offer what assistance I can to the New York Institute. I assume we aren't going to leave these innocent people in the hands of Jiruko Curse. I can't imagine he intends to keep them alive if his experiments fail."

She turned a greenish color. "While I have to agree with your argument. If we sacrifice what forces we have left for some useless rescue mission… we will not be able to defend ourselves when the warlocks rebel. And need I remind you that Jonathan Morgenstern is still at large and poses a very real threat?"

Pained, Alec answered. "I understand our numbers are in jeopardy. And I don't want to take emphasis off searching for Jonathan. But if we do this… if we in good faith open our doors to those lost to us and offer them our protection… don't you think that might warrant at least a few to come back? Or to convince their children to take the marks? The Nephilim that left, left only because they lost faith in the honor of the Clave. Let's restore it. Give the Clave a chance to rebuild. If Jonathan attacked us now, we'd be as good as dead anyway."

Jem's hand on his shoulder squeezed in reassurance. "Spoken like a true leader, wouldn't you say?"

Isabelle stepped in line with Jem. "If you won't make the call… you know we'll do what we can anyway… then you've lost yourself four of the best fighters you have."

Jace remained by his chair, arms crossed and looking formidable. It amazed Alec he actually stayed silent for a change.

Jia Penhallow pressed her lips together in a thin line. "In order to move in unison I will need both the Enclave and the Conclave. Both of which seem to be without their leader. Robert Lightwood's interference with the Coven's reparations proves he can no longer to be trusted. I've had my reservations for some time now, this only solidifies them. He will not be returning to his post, I will see to it. But what would you have me do? Gathering the council takes time, time we do not have."

Jem smiled. "Well that's simple." He gestured to Alec. "He's of age, name him head of New York, he can lead the Conclave. You can then take control of the Enclave until a new head can be appointed. We won't need to call the council to order. We can take care of this ourselves."

"What?" Alec's head snapped to the side as he gaped at Jem. "You can't be serious! I can't lead the Conclave..."

"Why ever not?" Jem asked, truly perplexed. "You've proven yourself as far as I'm concerned."

"I'm afraid until a proper investigation can be conducted as to how much Maryse Lightwood knew of her husband's interference, I cannot allow her back to the post of Head of the Institute either." She did sound apologetic. "Alexander, would you be willing to temporarily take the post? Only until I can find a suitable replacement, or reinstate your Mother."

"Consul, you've been to the same meetings I have, no one listens to me." Alec panicked. "You don't understand!" He felt unsteady on his feet. If it wasn't for Jem's hand on his shoulder he'd likely crumble to the floor. "Even if I wanted to." He pleaded helplessly, "I can't even get my family to listen to me, they won't..."

Jace finally joined them. He took Alec's side, opposite Jem. "Well, that's the point, isn't it Alec? They will have to listen to you, if they don't they are in contempt of the Clave." His tone sarcastic, but his words no less true.

Blinking Alec let that sink in. An official appointment by the Consul? Alec turned pale. He grabbed the back of a chair; Isabelle hovered at his side. He pressed a hand over his mouth, feeling suddenly ill. His mind played out all the reasons this would be an incredibly terrible idea. But his heart beat strong and true arguing otherwise. _I can do this. They didn't have to respect me, or even like me. They'd have to come if summoned, they had no choice. _He sucked in a breath that ended up as more of a laugh. "I can't believe I'm saying this… but yes… Consul Penhallow I would be willing and honored to take the emergency post as Head of the New York Institute."

Isabelle whooped and threw herself at him, hugging him tightly. Jem beamed at him, even Jace looked pleased.

The Consul kept her calm demeanor. "Very well… we have some work to do."


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: OMG We are BACK! So sorry once again for the absence. My poor Clef has been so busy with work and life. But now she is BACK. That means I am BACK. And here is fifteen! As always, your comments and reviews are SO appreciated! 3**

**~Chapter Fifteen~**

Coffee, Alec decided, was a gift from Heaven. After three cups of the precious nectar he spread out a map of the Northeastern United States across the desk. With a black marker, he circled each of the nineteen institutes he now resided over. Then, with a red marker he circled the homes being targeted by the warlocks. Three resided in their immediate area, the rest, about fifty spotted around in the vicinity.

"That looks good." Luke said, appearing at the door to the library. He looked considerably more gray than Alec remembered. He wore his usual faded blue jeans and flannel shirt over a white t-shirt. Despite the deep lines of his face, his eyes remained bright and warm. He looked more like a farmer than a formidable werewolf leader and ex-Shadowhunter.

Alec breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for coming."

"I told you I'd help, Alec. And I will." He padded over to where the temporary new head of the Institute stood by the desk. "I'm honored you chose to contact me. I'd offer my congratulations on your new position if I thought you'd accept it. What have you got so far?"

Rubbing a hand wearily over his face, Alec answered. "I have ninety five trained Shadowhunters spread throughout New York's nineteen institutes… Of those, only about sixty are of age." He shook his head. "I hate having to send kids out into this mess, but I don't have any choice."

"I imagine these are kids just like you and your siblings were." Luke mused. "Are," He corrected. "With respect to everyone but you."

"It doesn't make it right." Alec mumbled. "This would be easier if they'd let my parents come back, that's another two trained Shadowhunters."

Luke listened to his complaints with patience. "Hmmm, your parents have a lot of explaining to do. I doubt they'd be much help to us even if they were here." He nudged the young man with his shoulder, a solidarity nudge he'd gotten from Jace over the years. "You are entirely capable of pulling this off without them."

Alec gave him a grim smile. "I hope so..." Despite Luke's absolute faith in him, he still felt nauseated. He made his last few red marks. "So far I've heard from Boston, Salem, and Burlington,…"

"There's still time." Luke told him, gripping his shoulder with a comforting hand. "I sent out my fastest scouts to assess the areas. If anything looks suspicious they'll warn us."

"Thank you." Alec said, throat tight. "Please extend my gratitude to your pack."

The lycanthrope smiled. "I will. Where is everyone?"

Rubbed the back of his neck, Alec winced. "Izzy isn't speaking to me at the moment." When Luke raised a brow he figured he'd best explain. "I need her here for when the victims are delivered and as a point of contact for the other institutes. She... feels my judgment is skewed."

"Ah… I imagine Clary would feel the same way in that situation."

He sighed. "Girls. They always assume every decision is made due to their gender. She'll get over it." He hoped she'd get over it. "Who knows where Jace skulked off to. He'll show his face when it suits him. And Jem is relaying our plan to his girlfriend who is with Magnus and the other warlocks."

"Magnus?" Luke frowned. "Where is he? Isn't he helping?"

"No." He snapped, harsher than he'd intended. "I don't want him involved in this. I'd rather he know nothing about what we're doing, but I can't very well keep Jem from telling them. They were the ones who warned us."

"I'm sure he'd come help if you asked him to."

"Please drop it, Luke." Alec said through clenched teeth. "I don't want to talk about Magnus."

Luke relented, but not until he gave him a look of disapproval. Unfortunately for the werewolf, his look didn't compare to Robert Lightwood's furious glares. "What's the plan?"

Alec's shoulders loosened. Something he did want to talk about. "The shadowhunters will be separating into teams from two to four depending on how many targets fall in their grid. We hit the first homes in unison; it will give us the best odds in case we encounter any resistance. Then we'll move the unmarked Nephilim to the nearest Institute. That's where we need your help with transportation."

"I can cover you here, but Alec my pull doesn't affect the neighboring packs, I can't promise they'd be willing to assist."

"I know." Alec offered him a tight lipped smile. "But I'd like to try, any help would be appreciated. Any Shadowhunter I can have on the ground rather than stuck in transportation will help. Each team will have one person as a contact who will send out fire messages to my point of contact, Izzy, as soon as each family is secured. And if you are willing, I'd like you to drive my team." He hated to ask, but Luke was the only person he knew that had a license, let alone a car. Without Clary there, he didn't feel right asking Simon.

Luke returned the smile. "I can agree to that. I tried to send word to Jocelyn and Clary. I haven't been able to get through."

Alec closed his eyes and took a breath. "I figured as much. The Consul told me that with what happened in London and what happened here the Inquisitor has closed off all external communications with Idris until further notice. I guess they suspect dissention in the ranks." He rolled his eyes. "We'll make do with what we have. Jem, Jace and I are going to take grid zero." He pointed to the marked space on his map.

The door to the library opened and Jem silently came inside. The dark haired man offered Luke a friendly smile. "You must be Mr. Garroway."

"Luke." He shook the Nephilim's hand with a nod. "And that would make you James Carstairs?"

With a sunny smile, he gave a small bow. "Jem, please." On anyone else, the gesture would be considered an insult, but on the dark haired oriental man it looked regal. Some of his mannerisms reminded Alec so much of Magnus it hurt.

"You've caused quite a stir around here." Luke commented, more curious than anything. "It's not every day someone walks out of the Silent City."

"Certainly." The ex-Silent Brother agreed. "Though one is free to leave at any time, you just forfeit your immortality and enhanced abilities. I daresay the latter held more incentive for me. I can be with Tessa now."

Alec felt a pang of regret in his heart. Jem made it sound so easy. What he would give for Magnus to do the same. "I'm afraid I don't really understand that…" Alec found his voice had a mind of its own. "She's a warlock, right? So that makes her immortal. She won't grow old with you."

Those kind dark eyes turned from Luke to him. "You are correct. Tessa will not age a day. However, as a Silent Brother I was never allowed to be with her. Therefore we would be forced to spend our immortal lives separated." He exhaled with a little laugh. "As painful as it is to think about, she actually got the worse end of the deal." When Alec shook his head not understanding, Jem continued. "I will not have to continue on without her, where as Tessa will have to watch me die, bury me, and live without me."

Swallowing hard, Alec looked away. He'd never really thought about it like that. If Magnus chose to stay with him until then, that is. He scowled. With as obsessed with beauty as Magnus was, he'd never do that. The thought left a sour taste in Alec's mouth.

"I suppose I am indebted to her." Jem kept his gaze locked on Alec as if they were the only ones in the room. "After all, an immortal being as glorious as my Tessa…" His smile broke Alec's heart. "Who could have anyone she wanted… chose me. What could I possibly have to offer? I'm a Nephilim who lives a life full of danger and moral obligation. I can give her children but they would be mortal, thus causing her to have to watch them die as well."

Alec's back tightened. He wanted to snap at Jem. Tell him that all of that was just the price of immortality. He looked away, grinding his marker into the map, leaving a deep red dot. He stared at the color as it spread like blood seeping from a stab wound. He found it oddly comforting. As if causing something else pain alleviated some of his. Not that the paper actually felt pain.

The room fell into a tense silence before Luke decided to disturb it. "Alec tells me you were communicating with the warlocks? Do they have anything new to tell us?"

"I only spoke with Tessa." Jem explained. "She is at Magnus's home along with Catarina Loss and Kale…" He laughed into his fist. "I'm afraid I know little of him, not even a last name."

Alec blinked. _Did Kale even have a last name?_ "He's the High Warlock of Canada." He repeated the title Magnus gave him. "He's a pain in the ass but extremely powerful. He's the one responsible for the Institute collapsing."

Jem paled. "I see…" He quickly recovered. "I've seen the photographs. At any rate, the four of them are attempting to communicate with the Magistrate, hoping to buy us some time but so far have been unsuccessful."

"No!" Alec objected, the intensity of his voice making the other two men turn their heads in his direction. "Call her back, tell her no. The last thing we need is them pissing the Magistrate off. Tell them to wait until we secure all the Nephilim."

"I'm sure they won't do anything to endanger our rescue mission." Luke attempted to appease him. "Magnus is an excellent and gifted negotiator."

"It doesn't matter." He snapped back, "The rebellion isn't just a threat anymore. They've pummeled an Institution to the ground. They've made direct attacks on me _twice_. Now they are threatening the lives of hundreds of innocent people. The time to negotiate is over." His jaw clenched. He'd nearly died at the hands of warlocks. He looked to Jem. "Ask them to stay quiet for now, out of sight, out of mind. After the mission they can do whatever they want." He pleaded with him through his eyes.

Jem looked to Luke who shrugged. "Alright." He sighed. "Alright, Alec. I'll do as you ask."

"That won't be necessary." A woman's voice said from the doorway. "I heard."

"Tessa!" Jem exclaimed. He gracefully went to embrace her, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "What on earth are you doing here?" He paused as if coming up with the answer himself. "You convinced Magnus to portal you here."

Luke and Alec stared bewildered at the new comer. She looked familiar, but Alec couldn't place her. She barely came to Jem's shoulder, but the way her aura billowed around her it magnified her size. In her skin tight black jeans and creamy tunic top she looked less like a warlock and more like an average mundane. Even her hair hung in thick, brown ringlets pulled back with a ribbon seemed so ordinary.

"Of course, I did." She answered. "From what you said on the phone you could use a few extra hands." She patted Jem reassuringly on the arm. "Despite having warlock blood in me I'm also part Nephilim. I will go where my help is most needed and right now that is here. Wouldn't you agree, Alexander?"

Straightening out of his stupor, Alec flushed. "Oh! Yes. Thank you." He wanted to smack himself in the head but refrained. "That is very good of you." After receiving a warm smile from the warlock he decided he liked her. After introducing Tessa to Luke, Alec exhaled. "If you wouldn't mind staying here and acting as our communications representative? Then Isabelle can join our team."

"Certainly." The woman agreed. She took Jem's hand and excused them to the corner for some privacy. They stood so close together their bodies made a solid line. Jem's head inclined to hear what the woman spoke to him, a smile on his face. For them, the world could wait.

Sighing, Alec wondered briefly it he would ever be able to block out the world like that. To be able to focus solely on someone rather than on the impending doom looming over his head. He wanted Magnus. The urge to call the warlock to his side almost overpowered everything else. No, he reminded himself. He did _not_ want to call Magnus.

Something prickled at the edge of his senses. He knew before he saw, that Jace entered the room. The blond's presence used to put Alec at ease, but today it made him hyper-aware. His tie to his parabatai had weakened drastically the past few days, it felt like a piece of string. Not the confidence he wanted before going into a battle.

Luke sensed his apprehension and said. "Something going on between you and Jace?"

Alec crossed his arms, hunching in on himself. His chest ached hollow. "No. We're fine." He lied. No one else needed to worry about it. Both he and Jace knew better than to allow personal feelings or upset to affect them in a fight. They'd handle it later. Or, Alec would handle it.

Just before dawn, they moved out. Most voted to leave in the middle of the night because it would offer more coverage. Alec argued that even retired Shadowhunters wouldn't appreciate hunters appearing in their doorways in the middle of the night spouting off nonsense of warlocks. They needed them at ease as much as possible. It would be hard enough to convince them to leave their homes.

Alec sat in the front of Luke's truck with Jem squeezed in beside him. Isabelle and Jace hopped up into the bed, more than happy to be out in the fresh air. The excitement wafting off the two of them made Alec suspicious. He never understood the bloodlust his siblings possessed, nor did he want it. But he did know the Clave desired fighters like that. They sat in silence, the only sound the crunching of gravel underneath the tires.

Alec stared on ahead, a cold ball of apprehension coiling in his stomach. He normally didn't suffer from battle nerves. Shadowhunters grew out of that at an early age. But this time everything fell on him. Whether they succeeded or not, any lives lost, any hostages taken because his plan failed... Everything rested on his shoulders.

"It's a good plan." Luke spoke up. He took one hand off the wheel to pat Alec's knee. "Well-thought out. You wouldn't have so many people backing you if it wasn't."

Alec could have argued that they didn't have a choice. He didn't have the heart to ruin the werewolf's obvious attempt to comfort him.

"I'm proud of you."

Alec's eyes burned but he ignored them. His throat tightened. He longed to hear those words from his father all his life. Robert Lightwood never gave praise lightly. When Alec came out, he'd given up that dream. He'd accepted that being gay would never be okay with his father. As long as that hung over his head, Robert would never approve of anything concerning Alec.

"No matter what happens today." Luke added.

"That makes two of us." Jem nudged Alec's shoulder with his own.

Alec finally broke and smiled. He allowed the calming presence of the two men around him to wash over his senses. It took a great deal of effort, but he felt considerably lighter. He didn't thank them aloud, just nodded and smiled tightly. They could do this. They would do this.

By the time Luke pulled up to their destination, Alec found his confidence. It spread through him, energizing his body and calming his mind. After making a quick phone call to Tessa to announce their arrival, he joined the rest of his team. The four of them unsheathed their weapons and silently moved in unison to overlook the valley where their mark stood.

The house below stood two stories tall. Quaint, well-loved and taken care of by an ex-shadowhunter, Sorcha Fairchild, lived there with her three children. She'd left the Clave with her husband shortly after the Uprising. They'd lived together happily for twelve years, building a family and adjusting to mundane life. Shortly after the birth of their third child, their only girl, Sorcha's husband Merlin was murdered. Not by a downworlder, but by a mundane who tried to rob him outside a convenience store. Alec's mother visited the home on more than one occasion, trying to convince Sorcha to return, and to raise her children at the New York Institute. Sorcha had wanted nothing to do with them.

From the corner of his eye, Alec saw a beat up old station wagon pull up in front of Luke's truck. That would be their lycanthrope escort. He nodded to the driver as he exited the car and joined his pack leader. All players now in place, he squared his shoulders.

"What's the plan, Alec?" Isabelle broke the quiet.

"Yeah. Oh, fearless leader." Jace snorted. "You did remember your fearless rune, right?"

"Shut up, Jace!" Isabelle hissed in Alec's defense.

Ignoring Jace's stupidity, Alec answered saying to his sister. "Jem and I will go to the front door. You and Jace go around back. I don't think they'll run but I don't want them to have the option either."

"I should go to the door." Jace argued. "Remember, I'm charming."

"Jem's more charming." Alec countered, repressing the urge to roll his eyes. "You want to be where the action is? Break down the back door."

His parabatai said nothing, which in Alec's experience meant he agreed with this plan. Nodding to Jem, Alec made his descent down the hill towards the inviting little house. They made quick work of the distance with to their long strides.

They encountered no resistance and both sheathed their weapons. Jem knocked lightly on the door.

A woman, about Alec's mother's age came to the door. Her mousy brown hair fell to her shoulders in weak tendrils. Her sunken brown eyes surveyed them with a frown on her lips. She peeked behind herself, probably to make sure none of her children followed her to the door. She came up to Alec's chest, a tiny little thing, five feet and four inches at best. Small, but fierce, her stance told them.

"Sorcha Fairchild?" Jem greeted first, with a polite smile.

Her suspicion intensified. "Yes." She gripped the door so tight her knuckles turned white. Her voice ran through the two of them like a knife, hard, cold, and sharp. This woman was accustomed to giving orders and having them followed. "I've already told you, Cecil will not be joining the Clave. I thought I made myself clear when I told you to never appear at my doorstep again."

Cecil must be her eldest son, Alec thought to himself. He put a hand to Jem's back letting him know he'd handle it. "Ms. Fairchild, we are not here to recruit your son. We're here to warn you. You and your family are in danger. The warlocks are rebelling against the Clave and are targeting all the Nephilim who have either given up their marks or never received them."

She blinked at him, taking in what he just said. Then, unnervingly bitter smile appeared on her face. "Are they? It serves you right."

The blow stung, but did not surprise either of them. "Ma'am." Jem responded. "We understand your aversion to the Clave as a governing body. We also understand that you felt the need to leave and will not try to persuade you to return. However, we do encourage you to pack up your children and allow us to offer you safe passage and shelter at the New York Institute until the danger has passed."

"You expect me to just bring my children to the Clave?"

"Not to the Clave. To safety." Alec answered, fighting hard to stay calm and friendly. Every second they wasted here, they lost trying to save the other families. "As head of the Institute I am providing you and the other unmarked families protection as mundanes. Neither you, nor your children, will be held under any obligation to remain once the threat is clear."

"How very kind of you." She muttered sarcastically. "I don't want your protection. I washed my hands clean of you tyrants a long time ago. Warlocks have no interest in the likes of us. We are of no threat to them."

"They mean to enslave you and use you in their breeding experiments." Alec snapped, losing the battle. "Consider the lives of your children, even if you wish to stay allow us to take them and keep them safe. They shouldn't have to pay the price of your prejudice. We are obligated to protect them."

"Do not school me on obligation!" She seethed. "They are _my_ children. I will protect them as I see fit. I will take my chances with the warlocks. Now, get off my property before I am retrieve my shotgun." With that she slammed the door in their faces.

"Ms. Fairchild!" Jem called through the door. He continued to knock politely. "Please."

Alec's jaw tightened. "Move." He ordered the oriental man.

"Alec-"

Ignoring his companion, Alec delivered a harsh kick to the door knocking it right off the hinges. He shoved the offensive slab of wood out of his way and stalked inside.

Ms. Fairchild stood in the foyer face red with outrage. "How dare you!" She bellowed. She stood blocking them from the stairway. "You can't just force your way in here! I have rights!"

Another crash came from deeper in the house. After a moment of scuffling, Jace and Isabelle appeared. Jace held the wrist of a young boy, probably around ten or so. His dark eyes held the same spite as his mother's. "This one tried to run away."

"What the hell are you doing?" The woman cried. She moved to fight Jace for the custody of her boy. "Unhand my child, you deviant!"

Jace looked mildly insulted. "Deviant? Is that the best you can come up with? I'd like to think of myself as more of a behemoth or a brute."

"Get him to the car, Jace." Alec ordered, not having the time or patience for his brother and the woman. He motioned towards the stairs meeting his sister's eyes. "The other two are up there. Go get them."

Sorcha looked distraught, torn between going after Jace and her son, or protecting the two upstairs from Izzy and Jem.

"Pardon me." Alec grabbed the infuriating woman and tossed her unceremoniously over his shoulder. "What are you waiting for? Go!" He snapped to the two Shadowhunters.

"Put me down!" She hollered, as she kicked and flailed. Alec carried her out the front door. He could feel the strength of her blows through the armor, but it did not sway him. She clawed at his back, but to leather that could withstand a demon's talons, her blows rolled off like rain water.

The station wagon sat running at the curb. Jace stood just outside it, the boy, Cecil, securely buckled in to the back seat. The two of them stuck in a battle of wills, glaring at each other. Alec didn't put the woman down until he'd reached the car. Her hand flew at his face but he caught it easily, careful not to bruise her wrist, despite wanting to with violence that surprised himself. "Are you going to behave or does Jace need to handcuff you?" He asked her.

Interested now, Jace turned from the boy. "Can I use unnecessary force?"

If looks could kill, both of them would've died miserable and bloody deaths. Sorcha opened her mouth to speak.

"Momma!" A little boy's voice called. He couldn't have been more than five years old. His tiny hand clasped in Jem's as the two of them made their way towards the vehicle. Izzy came just after, a young toddler secured in her arms.

At the sound of her child, Sorcha abandoned her attempt to injure Alec. He let her go so she could run to her son and scoop him into her arms. She wouldn't run, not without all of her children. But he followed after her just in case.

"Momma, can we go to the Institute? Can we?" The boy whined. "This man said I could play with their cat!"

Alec eyed Jem, taken aback at the thought. He doubted Church would be play with anyone. Then again, the cat seemed much more agreeable since Jem showed up. More so than even with Magnus.

"Aiden, hush now." She told him, rocking him. Casting her sharp glare in Alec's direction her lips formed a line. "The Clave will be hearing from me." She threatened. "I will not stand for such treatment in the future."

"Yes, yes." Alec appeased. "Next time there is supernatural crisis we will be sure to pass you by and allow you and your delightful children to be killed as you see fit. Now, please get in the car."

Jace smirked, approving of Alec's snarky response. He offered to help the woman but she shoved him away and secured the boy first then tore her daughter from Isabelle's arms.

Slamming the car door with a satisfying thud, Alec signaled to the driver and away went their first group. His victory was short lived.

"Alec."

He so didn't like the tone in Luke's voice as they approached. Jace and Izzy followed behind him, chattering excitedly. "What's wrong?"

Luke held his cell in his hand. "I just heard from Maia. The pack picked up scents of at least seven people at the next target."

"Seven?" Alec blinked. "That can't be right. It's just supposed to be an older couple, in their sixties, no children."

"Apparently they have been fostering orphans."

Alec's blood boiled. "Unregistered? What were they thinking?"

The phone chirped again and Luke read something. "Make that ten."

Turning to his meandering team, Alec barked. "In the truck now!" He resisted the urge to kick the truck. The Clave's records proved dismal at best, but so far they'd been accurate enough. Ten children unaccounted for? Inexcusable.

Jem barely slid in next to Alec in the cab of the truck before Luke peeled out onto the road. They had a good twenty miles until their next target.

"We need…" Alec did the math in his head. "Three more cars."

Luke shook his head. "We'll have to get creative. Jordan's car can seat seven comfortably. Depending on how old the kids are, we can double up on seats."

"Are all the children Nephilim?" Jem asked, gripping the handle over the door as Luke hit a turn without slowing down.

"There's no way to tell now." Alec answered. "We have to just get all of them. Even if they aren't, the warlocks won't know that and may grab them anyway."

Luke got back on his phone. He barked orders at whoever picked up the other line.

Using his own phone, Alec made a call ahead to the Institute to warn Tessa of the arriving vehicle. He left her instructions to barricade Sorcha in one of the guest rooms if she continued to be disagreeable. The children would calm down as soon as their mother did. Before he left he made sure to have plenty of supplies on hand for their refugees. Mostly canned goods and things easily heated in the microwave. The New York Institute never hired a chef as a lot of other Institutes did. Alec would never subject innocent children to his sister's cooking.

The closer they came to their destination, the more intense Alec's apprehensiveness became. Even though Luke knew all the back roads which made their trip only take half the time it could have it still felt like an eternity. The truck barely came to a stop before the Shadowhunters scrambled out.

By some divine intervention, both of the houses so far occupied lots set from the rest. No neighbors close by that would notice a commotion. Glamor only went so far. This house stood considerably taller than the Fairchilds. Alec counted three floors plus an attic. An extension attached to where the original house ended looked new, sturdier than the rest of the house. The yard held very little grass, but toys, bikes, and flower pots lay discarded and forgotten all around. Clearly, the Clave's records needed to be updated. Children definitely lived here.

"Alec!" Maia came bounding towards them. She skidded to a stop before them, her cut off jean shorts and blue tank top covered in grass stains and dirt. Her dark skin glistened with sweat. "I've picked up ten different scents just outside." She panted. "I know I wasn't supposed to... but I tried knocking on the door. No one answered."

"Are you sure someone is home?" Alec had to ask.

"Yes." The girl answered almost immediately. "There are at least seven warm bodies inside that we can detect. That's not including anyone on the upper levels or the basement."

Alec couldn't very well be angry with her for going against his orders. He would've done the same thing. The air around them seemed thick. Thicker than the normal summer atmosphere. It made it hard to breathe. "Do you feel that?" Alec asked his companions.

Maia's big brown eyes watched him warily. They darted left and right every few seconds like a dog's ears twitched when listening closely for something. Her lip curled and she made a low growling sound from deep in her chest. It sounded eerie coming from her. That sound belonged to her large werewolf form. Deep. Angry. Beastial.

Unsheathing his blade, Jace answered. "Oh yeah… something's coming." He said it with such excitement; Alec resisted the urge to smack him upside the head.

Alec narrowed his eyes at the house as the air around it seemed to shiver. The glamor was subtle. Not easily seen even with the clairvoyance rune. All his time subjected to warlock magic lately left Alec in tune with its frequency. His pulse quickened. "Something's already here."

A snapping and popping noise turned all their attentions to the morphing wolf behind. Maia let out a howl that reverberated through the ground. Another howl answered from far in the distance, then another.

The glamor around the house shuddered as the sky turned a deep purple. Alec watched in horror as the invisible layers of magic peeled away revealing the crumbling home beneath. It almost seemed to sink in on itself, the foundation splitting down the center. Like millions of termites ate away at it. Now, they could hear the screaming coming from inside. The stench came next. The decay of flesh and burning sulfur. It made them gag.

A window shattered as the tail of a ravener demon poked out.

"Alec! They're in the house!" Jace shouted.

"I see it!" Alec turned back toward Luke who stood with Maia, still morphed into a wolf. "Stay here! Demons have to come from somewhere, there's a portal-and a warlock who opened it."

Turning back to his team he nodded. "Alright. People first. We have at least ten children inside plus two adults." With a battle cry from Jace, the four of them moved in unison toward the door. Jace sliced through it with his already glowing blade and they shoved their way in.

Jace took off in one direction, after a particularly slimy ravener that crashed through a wall back outside. Isabelle dashed to the stairs. Jem flew past Alec towards the back of the house.

A shriek from the left caught Alec's attention. He took off towards it, barely registering that he had ducked into the kitchen. Whoever summoned the raveners didn't stop there. A shax demon cornered a girl under a table in the kitchen. Each time it came at her with its claws extended, she let out a shriek and kicked it aside. Blade drawn, Alec sliced through the carapace, black ichor spattering the table.

Making sure no more demons lurked close by, Alec ducked under the table. She was more of a teenager, Alec noticed, than a girl. "Are you alright?" He asked, extending his hand.

With her eyes so wide, Alec worried the shock overwhelmed her. She lurched forward, grabbing his hand firmly. She cried, clinging to him as he pulled her out from her hiding place. A loud crash came from overhead, plus the scuffling of claws across the floor. The lights flickered. One fell and shattered, scattering sparks on the floor.

_Angel, do not light the place on fire,_ Alec prayed. "I'm going to get you out of here." Alec promised the girl attached to his waist. "But you need to let go."

"No!" She whimpered. "No, don't leave me, please."

"I'm not going to leave you." He took her wrists firmly in his hands. "Hold my hand, ok? Hold it and don't let go."

She shook her head like she meant not to listen. Frightened people rarely could focus on anything besides their terror, but this girl grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

Alec gave her a reassuring smile and led her back out into the foyer. A ravener demon spotted them, coming at them in a full charge. It's long scaly body and multiple legs crushed the furniture beneath its feet. The ravener's barbed tail arched overhead. With a confident swipe of his sword at just the right moment, the spike continued forward enough and fell hard enough to pierce the demon's head. It splattered Alec with a small bit of ichor, then quickly disappeared with the remainder of its body.

Leading the girl outside into the sunlight, Alec signaled for Luke who quickly came to retrieve her. "This is Luke, he's going to take care of you."

It took Luke several tries to detach the teenager's hand from his own. Alec turned, about to dart back into the house when he felt a tingle through his parabatai rune. "Jace…" an explosion from inside drowned out the sound of his voice. Torn, Alec trusted that with Jem and Izzy still inside he could go after his partner. He followed the sensation and climbed up onto the roof.

Jace sliced through a burning carapaced demon in the back yard. He must've chased it through the house. But Jace and a demon wouldn't set off his senses. The blond always found himself in those situations. From the corner of his eye he noticed a child standing off to the side watching his parabatai.

With so many other running around, he almost missed-it the prickling sensation that crawled along his skin at the nearness of a demon. That wasn't a child, it was a shape changer. Jace thought he was protecting a boy. Alec aimed an arrow and fired into the neck of the creature. He had a split second of panic, wondering if he really sensed what he thought he did or if it came from somewhere else entirely.

The arrow struck home. A child's cry pierced the early morning and transformed to a twisted howl as it shimmered, its form changing as it crumpled in on itself and disappeared with a pop.

Jace blinked, wide eyed. He glanced up at Alec.

Alec opened his mouth to tell him to be more careful when the house seemed to shudder under him. An explosion shook the shingles under him. The roof cracked and he plummeted through. He managed to catch himself on a rafter, swinging around and dropping onto his feet, steadying himself on a beam. The attic stank of insulation and antifreeze. Alec just fell through a tuft of the chalky stuff. He wrinkled his nose and swiped at the bits clinging to him.

A little gasp from his right let him know he had a spectator in the form of a young boy, with big owlish glasses and crazy red hair. "Cool!" He announced with a toothy grin as his eyes took in Alec. "Are you a superhero?"

Alec spared the kid a smile before dropping from his perch to land next to him. He sensed nothing unusual. "Yes. I'm Alec, will you come with me?"

The little boy peered at him curiously, then up to the hole in the roof then back to him. The ceiling groaned from above and below them. He sneezed at the rising dust, wiping at his nose with the sleeve of his shirt.

"It's alright." Alec coaxed. "I'm here to help you and the other children. There are bad things trying to get you but we won't let them."

"I want my sissy…" He whimpered, large tears brimming in his eyes.

"I can take you to her. What's your name?" He asked, lowering himself onto his knees so to be at the same level.

A crash came from below followed by a skittering sound across the floor. A pop. Then a crackle. Followed by the suspicious smell of sulfur. More demons made it in the house. Shouts could be heard from below.

"R-Richard." The little boy sobbed.

"Okay. Richard." Alec said calmly keeping the boy's gaze with his own. "I'm going to get you out of here, but I need you to do something for me, okay? I need you to hold on really tight."

Richard's bottom lip quivered but he nodded.

"Good boy." Alec ruffled his hair, then swung the kid up onto his back like he did when giving piggyback rides to Izzy or Max. "Remember what I said. Hold on tight and close your eyes."

Thin arms wrapped his arms around his neck as a moist face pressed to his back.

Patting the boy's hand reassuringly, Alec crept across the splintering floor. He could see where the ladder to the downstairs began. The smoke rose all around; he couldn't tell if it would be safe to use. He tentatively climbed down, making sure his precious bundle remained secure around his neck and waist.

The second level opened into a spacious room with beds lining both walls. Alec's heart leapt into his throat. He saw far more beds than he initially counted. So far he'd only encountered two. He counted ten beds. "Richard?"

"What?"

"Is there a safe place you all go? When something scary happens?"

"Basement." The boy answered almost immediately.

The entire house shook with another explosion. Richard started to cry. Alec cursed under his breath. He saw Isabelle by the time he made it down the stairs. She led twin girls toward the door. "Izzy!" He shouted, passing a now sobbing child to her. "The rest of them are in the basement, get them to the car and tell Jace to get his ass in here."

He didn't spare a glance to make sure she listened, he assumed she did. The door knob to the basement burned Alec's hand when he tried to turn it. He kicked in the door, getting hit with a wave of putrid smoke. From in the darkness he heard shouts and crying. He plowed ahead. If those demons hurt any of the children, Alec swore to himself, he would send them back home in pieces. Every last one of them.

Another of the shax demons backed a cluster of children into a corner. The oldest, a boy stood in front of the smaller ones, holding a canoe oar in front to protect them. His terrified eyes wide in disbelief but he held his position. Alec felt a surge of pride in the boy. He couldn't have been older than ten years old. Alec came forward, slicing through the demon. It buckled and disappeared without much of a sound.

"Come on!" Alec shouted to the boy in front. "Help me get them to the stairs." With the young boy's help, they managed to get the five children to the stairs. Alec squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Get them to the car outside, hurry."

Alone in the basement, Alec coughed into his arm. His eyes burned from the smoke but he wasn't about to leave until he found every last child. He counted them in his head; Izzy found two, the six and then with Richard and the girl from before made ten. But what about the two adults? Had the demons taken them?

He heard what sounded like a sob. Shoving through the debris Alec made his way towards the noise. In the chaos going on above him, the smoke choking him, Alec found the body first. The woman, Karla Ravenscar head of the household. He checked for a pulse, already knowing he would find none. Underneath her mangled, marked body, he found a small girl. She must've shielded her from the demons and they were too stupid to notice. The girl's long blond hair hung in limp, twisted threads. Her face covered in soot. She clung to the body of her protector.

"Hey..." he said soothingly. "I'm Alec… I'm here to help you, will you come with me?"

The little girl let out a shriek of terror. Gathering her up, her tiny body trembled as she clutched at him, trying to burrow inside him to hide.

"It's alright now." Alec stood up, trying to maneuver her to get his weapon. She cried harder and clutched around his neck. "Okay… okay." He rubbed her back reassuringly. With the little girl occupying both hands, he'd have to hope he killed enough to get out unscathed. He turned around to head back toward the stairs when came face to face with yet another shax demon. He gagged on its vile breath. He didn't have the time to put the girl down and unsheathe his weapon. Cursing himself for making such a rookie mistake and praying it didn't cost them their lives, Alec crouched over the girl ready to shove her out toward the stairs as the demon busied itself by killing him.

Claws lashed out at Alec.

They never touched him. The demon exploded in a mist of ichor and stinking, black blood. Alec's heart skipped a beat. "Jace?" He breathed, swinging back around. But it wasn't Jace, it was Jem. The black-haired shadowhunter eradicated the demon.

"Are you alright?" He demanded. "Where the hell is your parabatai?"

Alec gaped, dumbfounded by the accusation in the man's tone. He opened his arms to reveal the girl. "We're fine." He panted. He tried to hand the girl to Jem but she shrieked again and held on hard enough the armor creaked. "It's alright, I got her. We need to go. Go! Go!" He shouted.

He followed Jem out, using the glow of the man's angelic blade as a lantern. Once outside, Alec saw Isabelle scooping up child after child and handing them to Jordan. By some grace of the angel, the werewolf managed to find them an old yellow school bus. Alec noted to make sure the werewolf received a hefty stipend for his assistance.

Alec stepped forward to hand off the precious burden still cocooned in his arms. The girl was so small. Half the size of Max before he died. He swallowed hard, in that moment he'd never wanted to hold his baby brother so badly. He shook the thought away. He'd never be allowed that luxury again.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Jem asked, eyeing him warily, staying close just in case.

"I'm fine." Alec answered, voice hoarse but not weak. "I found Karla… we're still missing her husband."

"He was upstairs." Jem replied. By the tone in his voice, Alec didn't have to wonder about the man's state of health. Both of the foster parents were dead.

When Alec attempted to hand the girl over to his sister the girl cried out again. Her tears ignited the fury welling in Alec from this mess. He couldn't soothe her; he had no kind words in him. He did have a fine, white-hot rage. A rage directed at Jiruko, the warlocks, and the London Institute for starting this mess. He tried prying her fingers off one by one.

"Let me try." Luke appeared behind Alec, his calm demeanor soothing. He spoke softly to the girl in Alec's arms. As if my magic her grip on him loosened and Luke coaxed her into his arms.

"Where's Jace?" Alec demanded of Izzy, once the girl was safely tucked into the bus by Luke.

"I don't know. He went off after something."

* * *

Magnus could not stand to spend another moment in his apartment doing nothing. He'd tried to occupy himself but no amount of preening, re-decorating, or organizing appeased the gnawing anxiety. He wanted to go with Tessa to the Institute. He need to help stop this. He needed Alec to look at him.

He knew better than to show up uninvited.

Magnus learned many lessons in the art of love. He did not allow himself to make the same rookie mistakes as others. The past taught him to be patient if he meant to persevere. He revelled in the feeling, happy that at his age he still felt anything sharp, deep, and needy. He knew that if he could just speak to the blue eyed Nephilim, they could reconcile. He would brush his fingers along his cheek, hold his strong body against him, and tell him anything he wanted to know, even if he had to make it up.

Despite all sense and intuition that told him to **not**, under any circumstances, join the Nephilim rescue mission, Magnus went. He donned his most intimidating ensemble, which he would never admit he patterned after Shadowhunter gear. Dark gray leather pants with knee high boots, knives sheathed in them both, a dark grey shirt and a mottled green, gray and black kevlar vest and a sparkling gold buckle on the chest above the heart. It made a lovely target, the thickest, most protected part of his armor, the easiest to spot and attack that was the easiest to defend and it came with retribution spells and more kick-back protective wards than his own front door. He had intentionally done it and the ruse worked every time. Tucking into his own harness, a pair of swords, potions, and a scroll, Magnus even added a wand. He rarely used them, but the did make for a quick release of a fireball or lightning bolt. He donned his favorite black trench coat and drew up the hood. In place of his usual glittery make-up, he painted his nails black and lined his eyes with black. Magnus had enough pride to admit that he looked better in black than the Nephilim, but he wouldn't tell Alec that. All Princes of Hell looked better in black and gold. They _owned_ it. They _owned_ the night. The shadows. Everything in the dark.

_The feckless Shadowhunters should bow to-_

Magnus slapped himself.

Kale hadn't bled enough of the poisonous magic. He shuddered and shoved down the hate. The residuals would linger for days, Magnus knew it. It always crept in when he least expected it. He couldn't let Alec know. He locked the malicious thoughts away in the small, dark corner of his mind where he shoved all this thoughts about Jace, the Clave, the warlocks, and his father into. He had to focus on fixing his mistakes.

Even if he couldn't speak with Alec, he could offer his assistance. Whether it be for making portals to transport or flirting his way through hostile doorways. Actions would speak louder than any words. His notebook teemed with pages of his better days, of his triumphs and life-altering experiences, but it remained far from ready for Alec's eyes. As much as he wished to only give Alec the more agreeable side of him, he knew that to win his Nephilim's heart back he needed to dig deeper. He needed to unearth things he swore he would never relive. All the things he never wanted to remember. He wrote about his childhood, the time he spent in the convent, the battles lost, and the great loves he'd lost. Unfortunately, those same memories could cost him Alec. Could he recover from that blow? Not in this lifetime, perhaps in another hundred years, or maybe never at all. This was exactly the reason why Magnus had to act.

Tracking Alec's current location came as easily as breathing. When Magnus stepped through his portal and into the yard of the rescue site, he felt his presence like a lick of flame to chilled skin. One thing the spell texts never explained properly about hellfire, the residual effects. The anger. The mark of the spell on both of them. He would be able to sense it on Alec's aura. Touch it like he could touch his skin. Thankfully, such a bond only came to those linked directly with the spell. Another spellcaster could not feel the connection. It came as a small comfort in a sea of chaos, but a relief to know Alec was alright.

He heard commotion from the front yard. The house creaked and shuddered on its foundation. The movement shattered windows and splintered boards. Demonic energy pulsed through the air, setting Magnus's senses on fire. He caught sight of a slithering tail disappearing into some trees. _That doesn't look suspicious at all._ He went to investigate.

Magnus detested lower level demons. He could not understand why other warlocks wasted energy summoning the disgusting creatures. They only survived in hell because they bred more quickly than rumors in a high school. At least higher level demons possessed computation skills. And personalities. And the ability to retain more than one thought in their skulls at a time. Then again, he supposed most warlocks would summon anything for the right stipend. Magnus held himself to higher standards.

"Well, well." A familiar drawl greeted him. "If it isn't the Bane of hell's existence." A snicker followed the joke he'd heard a thousand times before.

Magnus turned fluidly to face the fellow warlock. The hideous voice made him sneer with revulsion. "You… are supposed to be in prison." There were downsides to immortality. Not many, but a few. For instance, punishment can last a very, very, long time.

Caleb, a tall, black haired warlock stroked the head of one of the ravenor demons. On occasion, Magnus could appreciate the biker look. Caleb wore a pair of low riding blue jeans, a white t-shirt covered in holes and grease in his hair. The red bandana tied around his head did literally nothing for his look except hide his warlock mark, a series of demonic glyphs at his hairline. "I'm not as good at sucking cock as you are, but they let me out anyway."

Caleb barely passed as a warlock. The ifrits refused to acknowledge him because his lacked red skin and horns. The man could barely draw a pentagram without screwing something up. He would have gotten off with a slap on the wrist for stealing that spellbook if he hadn't accosted the coven official's daughter. Stupid, useless, and careless, a bad combination with spellcasters. Ignoring the commentary, Magnus said, "I see you suckered a fool into teaching you to summon. Dare I ask who?"

"What makes you think I didn't learn on my own?" Caleb grinned. "I had a lot of time to study in prison. What's this I hear about you fucking a Nephilim? When did you turn traitor?"

Before Magnus opened his mouth to make some clever retort a tree fell on Caleb's head, hammering him and the demon into the ground. Magnus blinked, wide eyed. That was unexpected.

"I thought he'd never shut up." Kale seemed to appear out of thin air. He dusted off his hands with a satisfied grin. He regarded the flattened warlock. "He's gonna have a hell of a headache in the morning." He snickered at his own joke, not paying attention to Magnus's sour expression.

"You followed me. Wonderful."

"Damn right I did. You can't just leave me at the apartment with Catarina like that, man! She keeps hitting me with that freaking newspaper."

"Perhaps if you stopped baiting her, she wouldn't feel the need to hit you."

Kale wrinkled his nose. "Bah."

Not in the mood to be bothered Magnus stepped back into the clearing. Several popping sounds indicated the summoned demons returned to their home dimension. At the center of the popping, he spotted a black clad figure with blond hair. His lip curled in revulsion. It figured he'd find Jace first. He appeared to be alone, no sign of the other Shadowhunters.

The glow of Jace's blade barely showed through the thick black demon blood that coated it. Jace, like his blade, appeared dim under all the grime. He cocked his head at Magnus, a sudden realization coming over his features. "Oh…" he actually laughed. "I should've known it was you."

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous." He wiggled his fingers in the direction of the woods. "Your summoner is over there. Seems a tree fell on him." He shrugged in indifference.

"Like I'm going to believe you."

Spreading his hands if obvious surrender, Magnus sighed. "Tell me… what purpose would I have in summoning a horde of ravenor demons when I could simply create a portal and take what I wanted?"

"Then what are you doing here then? Alec sure as hell didn't call you. He doesn't want anything to do with you."

A smile bordering on cruel came across the warlock's features. "My, jealousy doesn't suit you. What would darling Clary think if she saw you in such a state over the loss Alec's affection?"

"Says the man who actually lost his affection." Jace retorted. "And my relationship with my parabatai has nothing to do with my feelings for Clary."

"Poor girl." Magnus murmured. "Always stuck in the middle isn't she?"

"Stop talking about Clary!" Jace roared, his blade humming with power. "Don't test me warlock or I will cut you down where you stand."

Power built in Magnus's hands. It would be so easy, so very easy to make sure Jace never came between him and Alec again. Every sour thought about the blond played out in his mind, building into his power and making it pulse blue and faintly black.

An image of Alec's face made him pause. Could Alec forgive him for killing his parabatai? He lowered his hands, shaking. Of course not. Alec wouldn't forgive him. On top of that, Magnus would never willingly cause Alec the kind of pain of losing a parabatai to death. No matter how psychopathic the Herondale boy could be. The residual had found something true to latch onto. Magnus could feel it growing.

Seeing him power up, Jace let out a fierce battle cry, and came at Magnus with his blade aimed right at his heart.

Adrenaline kicked in and time slowed. He had all the time in the world to deflect the attack. It would be easy enough. But for a moment Magnus considered what kind of reaction Alec would have if he allowed Jace to wound him. Would the blue-eyed boy be distraught? Would he gather Magnus into his arms and cry tears of despair for not forgiving him sooner? Or would he merely pat his parabatai on the back and consider it a job well done?

A sound cut through the air between them, a whiz of an arrow. Magnus jerked back. Jace stood inches away from him, touching his cheek, disbelief wide in his eyes. A small trickle of blood slid through his fingers and down his jaw. "What the fuck, Alec?" He demanded.

_Alec? _Magnus tore his eyes from the disgruntled blond towards the source. Balanced on the deteriorated and crumbling roof, arrow pointed directly at Jace, stood Alec. His Alec. His beautiful, vibrant, docile-yet covered in blood and distasteful other things-Alec. The sight of him took Magnus's breath away. He memorized each cut and bloody scrape visible on his lover, wanting nothing more than to whisk the boy home and tend to his wounds. And kiss him soundly.

"Back down, Jace." Alec warned. The tone in his voice slicing through Magnus's love induced haze. His blue eyes shone bright with feral determination. To Magnus surprise, he saw it. Alec wanted to shoot Jace. In that moment, Alec wanted to shoot Jace. Injure him, perhaps even kill him.

"You've got to be kidding." The blond spat. "Even after all that you're still defending him? He's a warlock, Alec! He's the reason we're have these rescue missions!"

The cruel smile that appeared on the dark haired Nephilim's lips set off warning bells in the Magnus's ears. "A warlock who's been pardoned for his involvement by the Consul."

"He betrayed you!" Jace pointed an accusatory finger at Magnus. "He doesn't deserve your loyalty."

"Neither do you, now _stand down_ before I release this arrow into that big mouth of yours and it comes out your ass." He growled, pulling back on his bow like he meant to release it.

"That's not even possible."

"I want to find out." Alec snarled dangerously.

Magnus hesitated, unsure of how to handle the situation. He honestly didn't care of Alec chose to shoot his parabatai. It certainly would make everyone's life a lot easier. But he also suspected Alec wasn't in his right mind. The remnants of the Hellfire still plagued him, Alec had not another Prince of Hell to bleed the excess hate. The warlock winced. "Please don't shoot him, Alec. You'll regret it later."

They both ignored him, staring at each other.

"Alec! Jace!" Isabelle came jogging around the corner. She caught sight of Jace and Magnus first, then followed their eyes to her eldest brother on the roof. "Alec! What the hell are you doing? The kids are on their way to the Institute. We still have one house to go." Turning toward Magnus she demanded. "What are you doing here? Are you stupid?"

"Does being in love count?" Magnus retorted.

The blond stood stock still, rage turning his face red. "Nobody cares why he's here!" He snapped. "Alec, put the damn bow down."

"Step away from the warlock." Alec answered calmly. He still hadn't made eye contact with Magnus. "This isn't a negotiation, Jace. Either put down your weapon and move, or die."

Jace scoffed. "I'm not going to fight you!"

"Boys!" Isabelle snapped, sounding much like her mother. "Stop this right now. Jace for the love of the angel, step back. Alec, you don't want to hurt him."

"Oh…" The laugh that came from Alec's lips made Magnus's blood turn cold. "I do, Izzy. I really do."

Jace actually paled, taking one staggering step back, then another. It wasn't until he let the blade fall from his fingers that Alec's grip on his weapon eased. "Whatever, Alec. But don't come crying to me when this all blows up in your face."

Ignoring his parabatai's comment, Alec leapt down from his perch. He returned his arrow to its quiver at his back and snapped the bow back in place. Only then did he turn his attention to Magnus.

"Alec…" Magnus's lips want to twitch into a smile but something in his boyfriend's expression held them still. "Darling-"

"Come to save the pathetic little Nephilim from the big scary demons?" He questioned, his voice dripping with such sarcasm it hurt.

Magnus objected softly, "I want to help." He couldn't look away from the boy he'd longed so greatly to see, yet felt further away from him than ever before. "You know I have no allegiance to the Magistrate. So here I am."

"Well. That's lovely." Alec countered. "It must be nice to be able to switch sides at the drop of a coin. We don't need your help. We don't want your help. This is a Nephilim matter and it will be addressed by Nephilim."

Recognizing his own argument being thrown back in his face Magnus took a deep calming breath. He would not show weakness, not even if he stood alone with Alec in the field, over his words. "Alexander. I understand that you are angry with me-"

"Angry with you?" He interrupted, "I am so beyond angry with you, Magnus. But this is not the time or the place to discuss this. I have more important things to do. So do us all a favor and just go home. I'm not going to tell you again."

"Ah, warriors of heaven..." Kale stepped out from whatever rock he crawled out from under. "Too fucking proud to need anyone, right?"

Tilting his head toward Magnus, Alec's eyes turned somehow even colder. "You brought Kale?"

"That's right, angel cake. T'sup goldilocks." He nodded to Jace and winked at Izzy, "Hey sweet cheeks. And since I just took out your portal wielding warlock, you should show a bit of gratitude, y'know what I'm sayin?"

"Convenient." Jace snorted.

"We would have found him." Alec replied icily, ignoring his parabatai. "Our priority was the children."

Holding up his hands, Magnus tried to placate him. "As it should have been. But, Alec, darling, we can be of assistance to you. We'll do anything you ask. Please. I can't bare another moment of useless meandering." He didn't bother to hide the pleading in his voice, if he couldn't persuade Alec, perhaps he could gain Isabelle's favor. High Warlocks, a pair of them, had versatile usefulness.

Alec considered him for a moment with narrowed eyes, then he stared at Kale, calculating. "Anything I ask?"

A flutter of hope began to build in his chest. "Anything." He repeated. Kale opened his mouth to argue but Magnus sent him a look that snapped his mouth closed.

"Wonderful." The Nephilim gestured to Isabelle and Jace. "Izzy, go back to the Institute with Jem."

"But-"

"This isn't open for discussion!" He barked then turned his attention from her back to Magnus. "You want to help? Fine, you and Jace can tend to the bodies in the house. There are two of them. Burn them, bury them, I don't care. Then you might as well torch the place, there's too much demonic shit tainting everything. The children won't be coming back here."

Both Jace and Magnus gaped at him. "What?"

Alec pointed at Kale. "You. Come with me to the last house."

All of them started to object, except for Kale who looked far too pleased with this plan for Magnus's liking.

"That's an order!" Alec shouted over all of them. "Move!" He didn't bother to wait to see if any of them listened. He stalked back around the house.

Isabelle threw her braid over her shoulder with a huff and marched off after him. Jace eyed Magnus with obvious displeasure which the warlock returned tenfold.

Kale snickered. "Have fun kids!" He slapped Magnus on the back. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He cast his eyes appreciatively over Jace and sighed. "Damn… so many hotties so little time." He jogged off after Alec.

Magnus shot a spark of blue flame in the retreating warlock's direction. A satisfying expletive of surprise answered him.

* * *

Kale enjoyed the car ride into the city. He sat nice and cozy against angel cake in the cab of the truck. It took a far more mannerly fellow than himself to not use this position to his advantage. He strategically stretched his arm across the Nephilim's tense shoulders. He got a glare in response but he didn't move. Much to his amusement, the blue eyed shadowhunter's attention stayed locked to the phone in his hands. Kale tested the boundaries, moving a hand down Alec's back. At that point, the young hunter put a stop to his fun.

The last stop proved terribly uneventful. No gut spewing demons, no screaming obscenities, not even a freaking temper tantrum. A young couple lived in an apartment complex. Rather than draw attention to themselves, angel cake made him wait by the car with the wolf guy. Kale liked the wolf guy. The dude was solid, with excellent fashion sense. He'd fit right in with his fellow Canadians.

He felt slighted somehow when Alec returned, followed by two subdued Nephilim. The woman, several months pregnant looked very pale, but they had no issues. After helping them into the cab, angel cake hoisted himself up into the bed of the truck. Kale followed him. Romantic hay ride minus the hay. That suited him just fine. Hay could be a real bitch to get out of one's nooks and crannies. Besides, that shit itched like hell. Kale would enjoy teasing Magnus about this later.

As they drove, Kale eyed the Nephilim beside him. Alec stared ahead with an unsettling amount of detachment. He should've been ecstatic, or happy, or something.

Nudging him, Kale asked "You okay?"

He didn't answer at first. The young man continued to stare at something Kale couldn't see. His jaw clenched. Eventually Alec said, "Nothing about this is even remotely okay."

Kale didn't give the wise ass remark that sprang to mind. He shrugged, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You saved the day. Don't that count for somethin'?"

"No." Alec answered voice tight. "Now I have eleven orphan children with nowhere to go."

The warlock winced. "That's not your problem, is it? You send out the troops. Humans have organizations for that kind of thing."

Alec smiled coldly. Kale didn't like it, it lacked some serious dimple action. "We don't just dismiss people because our obligation is complete." He answered tersely. "But I suppose I shouldn't expect you to understand that. You live alone, without having to worry about anything."

"Hey, don't knock it until you try it. Solitude rocks."

Rubbing his temples, Alec sighed. "Will you just… not talk right now?"

"What?" Kale feigned insult. "Dude. No respect." He pouted. "I'm disappointed in you, angel cake. I come all the way out here to offer my services, which normally don't come for free you know, and you just don't give a shit."

The nephilim didn't even bother to respond; he took out his phone and started texting.

Kale did not take well to being ignored. "I kissed your boyfriend."

Alec's head snapped in his direction. "What?"

"Oh yeah…" Kale rubbed his chin with a smirk. "With tongue and everything." He continued to bait. "Yep. Had some serious demonic mojo in his system after burning that poison out of you with hellfire. Honestly, I didn't think he had it in him." He eyed the Shadowhunter from the side. "Figures it would be you he'd break his oath against black magic for."

"Black magic? What the hell are you talking about?" Kale now had the Nephilim's complete attention, which was just how he liked it. He came at him in a flash grabbing the front of his shirt he snarled. "You let him use black magic?"

The truck made a little swerve, the driver apparently aware of the action happening in back.

Scoffing, Kale grabbed the kid's wrist and untangled himself. "Dude… I wasn't even around when he decided to go all Master of the Universe and save your ass. And even if I was, why the hell would I stand in his way? The guy drank his entire liquor cabinet after you left. He needed to do _something_. He already redecorated the apartment a half dozen times; I swear he was eyeing the cat like he wanted to use it as a painting canvas."

Alec let go of him with a scowl. "I never asked him to. You can't pin that on me."

Kale actually felt a little disappointed. "So, you don't want to attack me? You know throw your body against mine and wrestle?"

The flush that appeared on the blue eyed teen's face rewarded him tenfold. "S-shut up."

"Don't pretend you didn't like it." He continued to tease. "You were all up in my business after a beer or two, hello, talk about repression. You don't want me to leave. Just do yourself a favor and admit you're attracted to me."

"Don't flatter yourself." Alec grumbled still pink in the face, "a moment of weakness that's never going to happen again." He sat up a little straighter, attempting to slide further away but ending up pressed to the side of the bed. "Besides, nothing happened."

Wiggling his eyebrows suggestively Kale snickered. "That's what you think."

"W-what?" The Nephilim sputtered indignantly. "Magnus said nothing happened."

"And we're trusting Magnus now?" A low blow and Kale knew it. He shouldn't have said it at all. He regretted it as soon as Alec recoiled. Well, at least he was showing some emotion. "Hey… come on. I'm just messing with you, of course nothing happened."

The kid fell silent a moment then he said. "It doesn't matter anyway. Apparently you two screwed around too, so I guess we're all even now."

"Hey!" Kale pouted. "That would be fine and all if something actually happened between us. But it didn't." His pout extended further. "Man! Why do I always get the short end of the deal? You could at least give me a little something-something. I mean come on! I protected your freaking virtue, didn't I?"

Wide blue eyes blinked at him and the kid choked. Threw his head back, and laughed. Kale would be lying if he said he didn't like the sound of it. "You-" he gasped between shakes. "You're… ridiculous."

"Put those things away. You need like a disclaimer for those dimples." He felt a smile of his own tug onto his lips. "Glad to see my plight of underappreciated acts of heroism fucking amuse you." Grumbling under his breath he added. "Warlocks have needs too, you know."

After a moment the Shadowhunter sobered up. "You aren't as much of an ass as you think you are."

"Oh no. I'm an ass. It's certified and everything.." Kale answered with a pointed look. "It even won an award." He offered with a cheeky smile.

Alec wiped at his face. He laughed so hard it brought tears to his eyes. "I just mean you spend all this time trying to keep people away from you, but then you turn around and say something to bring me back to myself."

He stiffened. "I don't know what you're talking about." Warning bells chimed in his head. _Don't let the kid get so close you moron!_

Angel cake smiled at him with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "I appreciate it." He said quietly. "Really, I do." Gnawing on his bottom lip he regarded the Canadian warlock. "But let's be clear on something, my virtue was completely intact. You saved me from bleeding to death. Which I'm still not clear on how that happened."

"That's what you think." Kale muttered darkly. "What do you think they planned to do with your body?"

Alec recoiled and once again, Kale felt like an ass. "I try not to think about it."

"Well, you should. Not the whole sodomizing a corpse thing, but the bleeding to death thing. That was an at-distance biokenetic attack. Only a handful of warlocks have enough mojo to pull those off. You managed to piss the only one in the area off by hacking off his lover's head."

"Rhys had a lover?" He shuddered, not doubt thinking about the tentacles and other things done with tentacles. "That's Sage le Brazon, right? From the coven meeting? He spoke up for Catarina."

"Yeah, that's him alright." It didn't bother Kale that Alec knew who he referred to. What bothered him was the look of interest on the Nephilim's face. "Listen to me, angel cake. You need to stay off the streets, you hear me? Sage will be coming after you, and I'm the only one who can fight him. So unless you're planning on attaching yourself to my hip, not that I'd complain…" he added as an afterthought, "It's safer for you inside the Institute walls."

Alec rolled his eyes. "I fight demons, I don't do safe. I'm not afraid of him."

"You should be." Kale answered, not liking this nonchalant attitude at all. Not that he liked the detachment either. Stinking high-maintenance, self-righteous Nephilim, why did he like this kid again?

"Alright then." Alec turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Tell me how to kill him. I'll make sure he never attacks anyone again. He's been pardoned for the London Institute, but he's not for raising a hand against a member of the Clave. Neither is that dark haired woman. The sentence is death."

"Kill Sage?" Kale scoffed. "Angel cake the only way you are going to kill that bastard is by sneaking up behind him and stabbing him in the back. I suppose the same way you did Rhys. Which was an excellent hit by the way. Next time though, kill shot on the first attack. None of that talking shit, you hear me?"

Alec tucked a tuft of hair behind his ear, eyeing Kale coyly. "Why did you follow me that day anyway? Wouldn't it be easier for you to just let the warlocks kill me?"

"No." Kale answered defensively. "Believe it or not, I don't want you to die. And don't give me that look, it's cause Magnus would kick my ass if anything happened to you."

Biting his lip, he smiled again, flashing a mother fucking dimple. "You're not afraid of him."

Kale threw his hands up in exasperation. "Alright, fine! I decided I like having you around, okay? Geez." He eyed the blue eyed teen with irritation. "And don't you fucking dare spout any of that to Sparkles McSparkleson. The last thing I need is him accusing me of stealing you from him or whatever. Again. Eternity is a long time to not have any friends to walk with you for most of it. I like getting to see my friends once in a while."

The truck came to a stop in front of the Institute. Kale had to admit to being disappointed his angel cake time came to an end. He watched as the couple was ushered through the Institute gate. Alec stood up and offered Kale a hand.

He didn't need the help, but he took it anyway.

"You don't want either of us to die." Alec said softly, not letting go of his hand. "Hence my statement before. You really aren't as much of an ass as you pretend to be." He seized the front of Kale's t-shirt and yanked him forward, their lips touching briefly. The ground shook as a blip of power escaped Kale's control. Over as quickly as it began, Alec stepped back and hopped over the side of the truck.

Kale touched his lips in shock for a moment. "What was that for?" He wondered in awe as he followed the dark haired boy.

The Nephilim dimpled. "For saving my life, now we're even." He turned away and headed towards the gate.

"Hey!" Kale called after him. "Don't I get a kiss for saving your boyfriend, too? It's only fair!"

The kid didn't even turn around. "No." The gate shut behind him.

Kale pouted. As he turned he came face to face with a seething Magnus. "Uh… hi."


End file.
